What we know so far

• No survivors: No one is believed to have survived the midair collision between an American Airlines jet plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter last night in the Washington, DC, area, the fire chief said Thursday.

• Recovery operation: Emergency authorities have switched to “recovery effort” after 28 bodies have so far been found, officials said. Officials are confident they will recover the bodies of those killed in the collision. The jet was carrying 64 people, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

• Athletes on board: Several members of the figure skating community were aboard the jet, US Figure Skating said in a statement. Separately, Russia’s state news agency said two world-champion Russian figure skaters were on the plane. Air Traffic Control (ATC) audio reveals the moments before and after Wednesday’s collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet. Controllers witnessed the disaster unfold. 

The two aircraft collided at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, at around 9 p.m. with 60 passengers and four crew members onboard the passenger jet, while three soldiers were inside the helicopter. A massive recovery operation is underway on the Potomac River.

In the air traffic control audio, a controller can be heard directing American Airlines Flight 5342 to take Runway 33.

The AA pilot confirms he can take Runway 33 and is clear to land the airplane, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, referred to as “CRJ.”

The controller then instructs the helicopter, an Army UH-60 helicopter Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter, referred to as “PAT25,” to pass behind the jet.

“PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight? PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ,” the controller says.

No response is heard on the ATC audio feed. Fox News has learned that the helicopter did respond, but on a different frequency, a frequency for helicopters.

About 40 seconds later ground traffic control alerted the tower.