Upstate New York Man Recounts Somber Atmosphere at Ronald Reagan Airport

Imagine being at the airport, waiting for your flight, and witnessing a sudden surge of emergency vehicles outside. Mark Poloncarz of Upstate New York faced this reality.

Poloncarz is the county executive of Erie County, New York, and he was at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night waiting for a flight back to Buffalo.

A Sudden Shift in Atmosphere

What initially seemed like a routine fluster of airport activities soon transformed into a somber atmosphere as news of an airplane crash began to spread through the airport.

Poloncarz told CBS News that instead of the typical frustrations and impatience that usually accompany flight delays, the terminal was filled with a collective sense of sadness once passengers and staff realized the magnitude of what happened.

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 The Devastating Collision

The airplane crash was a devastating midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Preliminary Details of the Crash

The collision, which involved a regional jet originating from Wichita, Kansas, and a military Blackhawk helicopter on a training flight, took place around 9 p.m. under circumstances that are still unknown.

According to reports, the American Airlines jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the helicopter had three soldiers onboard.

Impact on U.S. Figure Skating Community

Several members of the U.S. Figure Skating community were onboard American Airlines flight 5342, returning home after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. The organization released a statement expressing deep sorrow for the athletes, coaches, and family members affected.

Military Personnel Involved

The U.S. Army has confirmed that the helicopter involved was a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, carrying a crew of three soldiers on a training flight.

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Challenges in Search-and-Rescue Efforts

The head of the Washington Fire and EMS team, John A. Donnelly, explained to CBS News that conditions were not favorable for the search. The cold weather and strong winds have made things harder for the responders. More than 300 individuals are aiding in what is now recovery efforts.