Video shows American Airlines plane and army helicopter explode mid-air

Footage has emerged of the infinitesimal an American Airlines level and chopper collided mid-air portion landing astatine a US airdrome successful Washington D.C.

The tiny aircraft, which is believed to person been carrying 60 passengers and 4 unit members, collided with the service helicopter, which was carrying 3 soldiers, precocious connected Wednesday evening.

In the video, posted connected X, a webcam astatine the John F. Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts caught the infinitesimal the clang happened astatine astir 9pm section clip successful Washington (02:00 GMT) connected Wednesday.

The centre is located astir 3 miles northbound of the airport.

In the footage, 2 agleam lights are seen successful the darkened sky, with 1 of the lights, thought to beryllium different plane, soaring upwards.

The 2nd flashing airy is seen slowing moving crossed the entity successful a horizontal movement, earlier a smaller airy is seen flashing and flying person towards it.

Suddenly, seconds later, the craft clang and burst into a fireball. Large puffs of fume and debris falling from the jets are seen moments later.

American Airlines said the rider level was a Bombardier CRJ700 and had near Wichita, Kansas.

It is not wide wherever the service chopper had arrived from.

American Airlines formation 5342 was inbound to Reagan National astatine an altitude of astir 400 feet and a velocity of astir 140 miles per hr erstwhile it suffered a accelerated nonaccomplishment of altitude implicit the Potomac River, according to information from its vigor transponder.

The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine pitchy was manufactured successful 2004 and tin beryllium configured to transportation up to 70 passengers.

A ample rescue cognition is underway, with exigency services scouring the Potomac River looking for passengers.

A fig of bodies person reportedly been recovered. No update has been fixed yet connected a fig of casualties.

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