Hamaad was texting his wife when his messages stopped sending. Then he checked the news.

Hamaad Raza had just heard from his wife as American Airlines flight 5432 prepared to touch down in Washington DC.

She texted him saying, "We are landing in 20 minutes."

He had no idea it would be the last time he ever spoke to her.

Instead, Hamaad's wife was one of the 64 people who died after the flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the Pontomac River.

Hamaad said he grew concerned when his replies stopped delivering.

"The rest of my texts did not get delivered, that's when I realised something might be up," he told reporters when he heard the plane was down.

"I'm just praying that somebody is pulling her out of the river right now as we speak," Raza told the outlet. "I'm just praying to God."

Hamaad's is not the only tale of devastation to come out of the wreckage.

Sam Lilley had always dreamed of becoming a pilot, and it was something his father, Tim, encouraged.

"I was so proud when Sam became a pilot," he wrote on Facebook.

However, the 28-year-old's dream has become a nightmare.

Lilley was the first officer on the flight, his father said in a Facebook post.

"Now it hurts so bad I can't even cry myself to sleep. I know I'll see him again but my heart is breaking."

Timothy said his son was engaged to get married later this year.

"It is so devastating to lose someone that is loved so much. This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life," he told FOX 5 Atlanta.

At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday as it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said.

District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John Donnelly told reporters the mission has now switched from rescue to recovery.

Emergency response units search the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed. Image: Getty.

The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

"Sadly, there are no survivors," President Donald Trump said in a news conference at the White House late Thursday morning.

"This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history and a tragedy of terrible proportions," Trump said. "As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly."

The incident is likely to be the worst US aviation disaster in almost a quarter-century, officials said.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the collision, but officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas. It's a well-worn flight path that pilots have navigated for decades.

The American Airlines plane was preparing for a routine landing at the time of the collision.

"On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach," American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said.

"At this time, we don't know why the military aircraft came into the path of the ... aircraft."

At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River. Image: Getty.

Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and the mangled wreckage of the plane's fuselage.

Inside Reagan National Airport, the mood was sombre Thursday morning as stranded passengers waited for flights to resume, sidestepping camera crews and staring out the terminal's windows at the Potomac, where recovery efforts were barely visible in the distance.

Investigators will try to piece together the aircraft's final moments before the collision, including its contact with air traffic controllers.

"I would just say that everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

"That when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn't happen last night, and I know that President Trump, his administration, the FAA, the DOT, we will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly, you're safe."

Victims identified.

The captain of the American Airlines flight involved in Wednesday's midair collision has been identified by colleagues as Jonathan Campos, CNN reports.

Campos became a captain for American Airlines in 2022, his colleague said.

Sam Lilley, 28, was identified by his father as the other pilot.

Fourteen US figure skaters, including six members of The Skating Club of Boston, were also onboard the American Airlines plane, club CEO Doug Zeghibe announced at a press conference on Thursday.

The victims from the club include teen athletes, Jinna Han and Spencer Lane and their mothers, and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova.

Spencer shared a photo from the plane before the flight took off.

The photo was captioned "ICT -> DCA", which are the airport codes for Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, per CNN.

Statement from Doug Zeghibe, CEO and Executive Director, The Skating Club of Boston regarding Flight 5342. pic.twitter.com/C2YpnngvmL

— The Skating Club of Boston (@SkatingClubBOS) January 30, 2025

The CEO of the US Olympic Committee said "talented athletes, dedicated coaches, and beloved members of the US figure skating community" were on board the flight, returning from the national development camp.

"These Olympic hopefuls represented the bright future of Team USA, embodying the very essence of what it means to represent our country — perseverance, resilience, and hope. They were remarkable young people and talents, passionately pursuing their dreams, and they will forever hold a cherished place in the Team USA family."

pic.twitter.com/dVzspS6trC

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) January 30, 2025

Authorities have 'early indicators' of what went wrong.

The night was clear, the plane and helicopter were both in standard flight patterns and there was standard communication between the aircraft and the tower, Duffy said.

"We have early indicators of what happened here," Duffy said, though he declined to elaborate pending an investigation.

It is not unusual to have a military aircraft flying the river and an aircraft landing at the airport, he said.

Asked if the plane was aware that there was a helicopter in the area, Duffy said the helicopter was aware that there was a plane in the area.

Asked about Trump suggesting in an overnight social media post that the collision could have been prevented, Duffy said: "From what I've seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely."

-with AAP

Feature image: Sky News.