A tragic collision near Washington, DC earlier today between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter has resulted in the deaths of all 67 people onboard. According to a senior fire official, at least 28 bodies have been recovered so far from the Potomac River, where both aircraft fell after the midair crash.

This incident, one of the deadliest in U.S. history, occurred as the commercial jet was attempting to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport. It collided with the helicopter, which was carrying three Army personnel. Washington’s fire chief, John Donnelly, confirmed that the operation has shifted from rescue to recovery, and that no survivors are expected to be found.

The wreckage of the passenger jet was discovered upside down in three sections in waist-deep water, while the helicopter’s debris was also located. The search for additional bodies and wreckage continues.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the collision. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are at the scene working to determine the events that led to this disaster. The FAA confirmed the crash occurred just after 9 pm (IST), involving a passenger jet traveling from Wichita, Kansas, and a military helicopter engaged in a training exercise. The crash took place during the jet’s approach to the runway, roughly three miles from the White House and Capitol.

Images from the scene show rescue boats surrounding a partially submerged wing and twisted wreckage of the plane. President Donald Trump was briefed on the accident and expressed his condolences, saying, “May God bless their souls.”

According to the Associated Press, the American Airlines flight was carrying a group of figure skaters, their coaches, and family members returning from a development camp following the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.