Man reveals chilling last words with wife on doomed American Airlines Flight 5342 as passengers are pulled from river

A man whose wife was on the doomed American Airlines Flight 5342 has revealed his heartbreaking final texts to her before the crash. 

Hamaad Raza revealed his 26-year-old wife was on board the tragic flight from Wichita, Kansas to Washington when it collided with a military helicopter just before 9pm on Wednesday night. 

Emergency services in the city are searching the Potomac River near the airport following the incident. 

‘I’m 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,’ Raza told WUSA9. 

Raza revealed the plane was so close to landing that his wife got reception and was able to text him immediately before the crash.

Raza then showed the reporter, who described it as ‘one of the most heartbreaking interviews of my professional career’ what he’d sent her on his phone.

‘She texted me that they were landing in 20 minutes. The rest of my texts didn’t get delivered and that’s when I realized that something might be up,’ he said.

The man said his wife had gone to Wichita for work but that she’d never felt comfortable flying.

Raza and a family member were pacing anxiously through Terminal 2 at Reagan Airport waiting for any news.  

The airline has confirmed that there were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to the Capital when the collision happened. 

NBC Washington are reporting that at least four people have been pulled from the water by rescue crews as dive teams survey the crash site.

The plane is said to have split in two and is in around seven feet of water, while the helicopter is upside down and is unstable, according to the outlet.

The Federal Aviation Authority said that the jet, a Bombardier CRJ700, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Runway 33. 

Defense officials have confirmed that the Black Hawk was an Army chopper that was carrying three soldiers at the time who were on a training flight.

Law enforcement sources have told CNN that there are confirmed fatalities and that no survivors have yet been rescued.

CBS meanwhile have reported that the bodies of 18 people have been recovered, and that divers are exploring three debris fields.  

In audio from the air traffic control tower around the time of the crash, a controller is heard asking the helicopter, ‘PAT25 do you have the CRJ in sight,’ in reference to the passenger aircraft.

‘Tower, did you see that?’ another pilot is heard calling seconds after the apparent collision. The tower immediately began diverting other aircraft from Reagan.

In a statement, DC Police said: ‘At 8:53pm, multiple calls were received for an aircraft crash above the Potomac River. 

‘DC Fire and EMS, the Metropolitan Police Department and multiple partner agencies are currently coordinating a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River. There is no confirmed information on casualties at this time.  

The airport said in a post to X: ‘All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update.’ 

Images taken at the scene show scores of emergency service teams along the riverside.  

Footage has also emerged online of helicopters with search lights passing over the Potomac River. 

Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center shows two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to conjoin in a fireball. 

Surveillance footage taken from inside the airport also captured the moment the two collided in midair. 

Flightradar tracking data shows the final approach of the flight as it crosses over the Potomac, before it cuts out. 

NBC Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer said that at the time of the incident the water temperature in the river was around 37 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Kammerer said that at that temperature someone in the water has only 15 to 20 minutes before they start suffering from hypothermia.  

Hamaad Ramza spoke with WUSA on Wednesday evening and revealed that his wife had been on the plane when it crashed. 

He said: ‘I’m just praying that someone is pulling her out of the river right now as we speak. I’m just praying to God.’

As the rescue mission continued, a small crowd gathered silently on the west bank of the Potomac River at Daingerfield Island in Virginia.

They watched as three helicopters shone spotlights on the black water scouring for survivors.

There was a small debris field on the water and a boat, and it was believed divers had gone in.

Vast numbers of emergency vehicles were gathered on the east bank of the river, on the Washington D.C. side, their lights illuminating the Capitol building and the Washington Monument.

More emergency vehicles waited on the end of the airport runway to the north of where the crash happened. Police vehicles closed off roads accessing the airport building, which was virtually empty.

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall posted to his X saying: ‘I’ve seen the reports of a collision with a D.C. helicopter and an inbound flight from Wichita, KS. 

‘We are in contact with authorities working to get answers. We ask you to join us in prayer for every single passenger and their families.’

The White House has also confirmed the nature of the crash, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirming live on air that President Trump had been made aware of the crash. 

Trump said in a statement: ‘I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. 

‘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.’

American Airlines said in a statement: ‘We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.’ 

In a post to X, Vice President JD Vance said: ‘Please say a prayer for everyone involved in the mid-air collision near Reagan airport this evening. 

‘We’re monitoring the situation, but for now let’s hope for the best.’

An FAA statement said: ‘A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time. 

‘PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas.  The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation.’

DailyMail.com has approached the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for more information. 

American Airlines has asked that anybody that believes they had loved ones on the flight to call 800-679-8215.