FREEZING TEMPS

Local TV Station Spots ‘at Least’ 4 Pulled From Water After D.C. Plane Crash

NBC4 in Washington witnessed at least four people being recovered from the frigid Potomac River.

At least four people were recovered from the frigid Potomac River in Washington late Wednesday night after an American Airlines plane crashed into a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, a local news station reports. NBC4, which had journalists lining the river as rescue operations were underway, reported that the quartet of “survivors” were pulled from the 34-degree water and taken to the North Boathouse fire station located at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Washington Post conflicted that report, however, with a D.C. official telling the paper there had been “no successful rescues as of 10:30 p.m.” Reagan National, also known as DCA, was the airport the fatal flight from Wichita, Kansas, was set to land at around 9 p.m. Wednesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from authorities, but the plane—a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet—was carrying 60 passengers and four crew, initial reports said. Sen. Ted Cruz confirmed there are “fatalities,” but did not give a hard figure. A report from Reuters said there were three soldiers on the helicopter, but their condition is unknown. Temperatures are expected to dip near freezing overnight in the nation’s capital, making rescue efforts all-the-more timely as hypothermia can be deadly in as little as 20 minutes in near-freezing water.