United States - January 30, 2025 Storyline: Rescue teams working at the site of a tragic mid-air collision in Washington, D.C., are facing difficulties as they continue their overnight search in the dark and icy waters of the Potomac River, the head of the city's emergency department said at a press briefing Thursday. The latest U.S. media reports say that more than 30 bodies have been recovered from the river following the crash between a passenger plane and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter which occurred near the Reagan National Airport at around 21:00 local time Wednesday. American Airlines, who was operating the passenger plane, confirmed that 60 passengers and four crew members were aboard the jet. Three soldiers were on board the Blackhawk, according to a U.S. defense official. About 300 responders have been dispatched as part of the search and rescue operation, which is involving multiple agencies at the federal and state level, John Donnelly, chief of the Washington D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, told the press. Donnelly described the ongoing mission as a "highly complex operation" and said rescue work is being hindered by the challenging conditions. Donnelly added that the ongoing search efforts are expected to take several days, given the difficulties facing the rescue and recovery teams at the site. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement that he had been "fully briefed on the terrible accident" and that he was "monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise." He later said in post on social media that the incident was a "bad situation" that "should have been prevented." Reagan National Airport will remain closed until at least 11:00 on Thursday, while the nearby Dulles International Airport is operating as usual, according to Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Shotlist: Potomac River, USA - Jan 30, 2025: 1. Rescue operation at accident site shot from distance, emergency vehicles with lights flashing; Washington, D.C., USA - Jan 30, 2025: 2. SOUNDBITE (English) John Donnelly, chief of Washington D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (partially overlaid with shot 3): "The water that we're operating in is about eight feet deep. There is wind. There are pieces of ice out there, so it's just dangerous and hard to work in. And because there's not a lot of lights [when] you're out there, the divers are doing the same thing in the water. The water is dark, it is murky and that is a very tough condition for them to dive in." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Potomac River, USA - Jan 30, 2025: 3. Rescue operation in progress; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 4. Rescue operation; Washington, D.C., USA - Jan 30, 2025: 5. Screenshot showing U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks on tragedy. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]