American Airlines CEO Expresses Condolences After Tragic Collision
American Airlines (AAL) CEO Robert Isom expressed heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the 64 individuals who perished in a collision involving a passenger flight and a military helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
The flight, operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA Airlines, was en route from Wichita, Kansas to DCA when it collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on a training mission.
As of Thursday morning, authorities have recovered 28 bodies: one from the helicopter and 27 from the plane. "At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," said D.C. fire and EMS department chief John Donnelly.
Rescue efforts have transitioned to a recovery operation, with 300 responders operating under challenging weather conditions. The cause of the collision remains unknown, and investigations are ongoing by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Pentagon.
Shares of American Airlines experienced a decline of up to 4% before market open on Thursday.