Officials said Thursday morning that searchers have recovered 27 bodies from the American Airlines flight that collided overnight with a military helicopter and plunged into the Potomac River along Washington, D.C.

They also said one body from the helicopter was recovered and that the emergency operation has moved from a search to a recovery effort. They also said nobody has been rescued from the crash.

Officials spoke at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where American Eagle Flight 5342, which departed from Wichita, Kansas, on Wednesday evening was set to land. The crash occurred at 8:48 p.m. local time. 

The airport remains closed to flights as of Thursday morning. 

The accident appears to be the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the plane was found in three sections in waist-deep water in the Potomac. 

He said said the crash occurred on a "clear night" and that the flight patterns for both craft were standard. 

The wreckage of the helicopter was also found.

An air traffic controller tried unsuccessfully to contact the helicopter less than 30 seconds before the collision, according to audio from air traffic control.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the accident has brought a "profound sense of grief" and that emergency operations are "tough and heartbreaking." 

Several members of the U.S. Figure Skating team were reportedly among the 60 passengers on the flight. The flight also had four crew member. Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter that was reportedly on a training mission.

Also onboard were Russian figure skaters, as well as other Russian nationals.

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Russia President Vladimir Putin, said Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice, were among the passengers.

The plane collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while attempting to arrive at the Reagan airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The crash touched off a massive search and rescue in the frigid waters of the Potomac River as the temperature hovered near freezing.

Washington Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department Chief John Donnelly said during the press briefing that about 300 first-responders are working the scene. 

“The conditions out there are extremely rough,” he said.

Bowser at an overnight press conference confirmed that three soldiers were aboard the helicopter, which was operating out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia. There was no word on the number of fatalities in the nearly 30-minute press conference. 

"We can confirm that the aircraft involved in tonight’s incident was an Army UH-60 helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia," the Army said in a statement Wednesday night. "We are working with local officials and will provide additional information once it becomes available."

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

Joint Task Force-National Capital Region media chief Heather Chairez told CNN the military chopper was in a night training exercise when it collided with the jetliner.

American Airlines has opened a hotline for people who believe a loved one was on the plane. The hotline number is 800-679-8215.

"Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft," the airline said in a statement. "We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts."

A source briefed on the accident told Just the News that air traffic control asked the flight to adjust its course to a shorter runway at Reagan just moments before the crash.

The FAA was warned in a report 14 months ago that air traffic controllers were increasingly making last minute flight adjustments to deal with traffic and shortages of controllers in a trend that raised safety concerns.

“When air traffic is rerouted, put into holding, or space is increased between aircraft to accommodate understaffed adjacent areas, the opportunity for mistakes in instruction is multiplied due to the abrupt change in the operation and the increased communications required to facilitate the irregular operation,” the report warned.

Also on Wednesday night, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had been notified of the crash. 

“There are many agencies that are working on this response right now, both federal and local law enforcement are working together on the ground, to try to save as many lives as possible. And the President will continue to monitor this situation,” Leavitt told Fox News. “The thoughts and prayers of the entire Trump administration are with all those involved."

Trump confirmed that he was briefed on the incident in a separate statement on Wednesday night, and promised to update the public as more information becomes available.

“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls," Trump said in a statement. "Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”

The president later observed that it appeared the collision should have been prevented, because it occurred on a clear night, and the plane's lights were on.

"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time," Trump posted on Truth Social. "It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"

Newly sworn-in Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that he has pledged federal support to the response, and that he has spoken with local and state leaders about the crash.

“I have directed [the U.S. Department of Transportation] and FAA to provide full support to the NTSB and all responding agencies and authorities,” Duffy wrote in a post on X.

“I have spoken with Washington DC Mayor Bowser, Virginia Governor [Glenn] Youngkin, Kansas Governor [Laura] Kelly and NTSB Chair [Jennifer] Homendy to offer our agency’s complete assistance,” he continued. “Thank you to all first responders who are on the scene and conducting the search and rescue operations.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.