DC Plane Crash Victims Include 4 Men From Prince George's Local Union 602

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Officials have confirmed that four of the 60 passengers who died when an American Airlines jet crashed into a U.S. Army helicopter over the Potomac River Wednesday night are members of the Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters Local 602 of Prince George’s County.

Prince George’s County Council Member-At-Large Calvin Hawkins, candidate for Prince George’s County executive, emailed a statement Thursday confirming that four men belonging to Local 602 were on the plane.

No survivors are expected from the crash, with responders working Thursday to recover bodies from the river that runs alongside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River by midday Thursday.

"I am heartbroken by the tragic midair collision near Reagan National Airport that claimed so many lives last night. I extend my deepest condolences to the families, loved ones, friends and others who must cope with this devastating loss," Hawkins said. "As the operation shifts from rescue to recovery, I am grateful for our first responders, including fire/EMS crews from Prince George’s, who braved brutal conditions through the night to search for survivors."

American Eagle Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members onboard when it collided midair with a UH-60 Blackhawk around 8:48 p.m. Wednesday. The Army helicopter had a crew of three and was on a training exercise out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

"The debris field has spread into our jurisdiction," acting Prince George's County Executive Tara H. Jackson said Thursday morning on Facebook. "We're closing the plaza and piers at National Harbor today to further assist with search and rescue."

The Prince George's County Police Department sent marine, dive and aviation units to the scene.

The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department told WUSA9 that it deployed two water rescue resources, one airboat and one rescue boat. The department also sent 12 technical resource personnel and a hazardous materials team to the scene. The county additionally sent a command officer to the unified command with the Washington, D.C. fire department.

"Our personnel are trained for this," Prince George's County Fire Chief Tiffany Green told WUSA9 on Thursday morning. "We're in the water. We're being safe, but there are hazardous conditions."

Green said over 300 responders from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia turned out Wednesday night and "operated seamlessly in unideal conditions."

"It's extremely important," Green told WUSA 9. "We have our mutual aid agreements, and we're able to work together seamlessly as fire departments in the region all on the same page."

"I am heartbroken by the tragic midair collision near Reagan National Airport that claimed so many lives last night. I extend my deepest condolences to the families, loved ones, friends and others who must cope with this devastating loss," Hawkins said. "As the operation shifts from rescue to recovery, I am grateful for our first responders, including fire/EMS crews from Prince George’s, who braved brutal conditions through the night to search for survivors."

More on the crash can be found here.

Patch Editor Jacob Baumgart contributed to this article.