USA
Indian immigrant parent's daughter among those who died in US aviation tragedy, husband shares details of their last text conversation
Asra Hussain Raza, a daughter of Indian immigrants was among those who died after an American Airlines passenger flight collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter midair.
26-year-old Asra Hussain Raza's father-in-law Dr. Hashim Raza told CNN she graduated with honors in 2020 from Indiana University and married her college sweetheart in August 2023.
Raza was a Washington, DC-based consultant who traveled to Wichita twice a month to work on a turnaround project for a hospital there, her father-in-law said.
Asra Hussain Raza shares details about their last conversation
Asra Hussain Raza's husband Hamaad Raza shared details of their last conversation and said she had texted him that she would land at the airport in 20 minutes.
"Just praying that somebody's pulling her out of the river right now as we speak. That's all I can pray for. I'm just praying to God," he was quoted as saying by Sky News.
No survivors
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that "there are no survivors" in the midair collision which took place between a passenger jet and a military chopper near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington DC on Wednesday.
"I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation," Trump told a presser. "The work is now shifted to a recovery mission, sadly there are no survivors."
He added, "This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital... As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so sadly. Our country is really mourning. This has really shaken a lot of people including the ones from other nations."
The American Airlines Flight, which was carrying 64 passengers, collided with the Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard and both crashed into the freezing Potomac River in Washington DC.
Air traffic controllers had warned the US Army Blackhawk helicopter that it was on course to collide with a passenger jet.
Audio captured during the accident reveals audible gasps from the control room as the crash unfolded.
The collision occurred on Wednesday night, when the helicopter collided with a Bombardier aircraft, operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, which was approaching for landing at Reagan National Airport.
About 300 first responders were mobilised immediately for the rescue operation, said DC Fire chief John A. Donnelly.
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