On Wednesday night, air traffic controllers issued warnings to a US Army Black Hawk helicopter regarding its trajectory, indicating it was on a potential collision course with a passenger jet.

Audio recordings from the incident captured the tension in the control room, which culminated in gasps as the situation unfolded.

The collision occurred when the helicopter struck a Bombardier aircraft operated by an American Airlines subsidiary while the jet was approaching Reagan National Airport for landing.

Witnesses described a “fireball” explosion as both aircraft fell into the icy waters of the Potomac River.

In radio communications, a controller inquired whether the Black Hawk, designated as “Pat 2-5,” had visual contact with the approaching CRJ aircraft.

The controller subsequently instructed the helicopter to pass behind the jet. Following the collision, there was a moment of silence, punctuated by a voice asking, “tower, did you see that?”

One air traffic controller reported, “I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit.”

Emergency response teams initiated extensive search and rescue operations overnight, but the likelihood of finding survivors appeared low.