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Air traffic controller audio captures minutes before and after Washington plane crash

Air traffic control service audio taped the moments before and after an American Airlines local traveler jet crashed with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in a midair accident over Washington on Wednesday night.

Audio from LiveATC.net, a reputable source for in-flight recording, captured the final communications between the 3 crew members of the helicopter - call indication PAT25 - before it collided with the CRJ700 Bombardier jet bring 64 passengers and team.

PAT25, do you have a CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ, an air traffic controller said at 8:47 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday (01:47 GMT on Thursday).

Seconds later on, another airplane hired to air traffic control, stating, Tower, did you see that? - obviously describing the crash. An air traffic controller then rerouted airplanes heading to runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport to walk around.

The explosion in midair took place over the freezing Potomac River near the airport.

Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three, among the air traffic controllers can be heard stating in the audio from around the time of the crash.

I do not know if you captured earlier what occurred, however there was a crash on the approach into 33. We're going to be closing down operations for the indefinite future, another controller mentioned.

Both the helicopter and the airplane crashed in the river, a. 3rd air traffic controller can be heard saying.

It was most likely out in the middle of the river, the. controller said. I just saw a fireball and after that it was just. gone. I haven't seen anything considering that they hit the river. But it. was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit.

The crash was caught on a web cam at the John F. Kennedy. Center for the Carrying Out Arts in Washington. The clip shows the. aircraft exploding in flames and plunging to earth after it. was struck by the helicopter.

A U.S. official stated no senior military authorities were on. the helicopter, while U.S. Figure Skating stated a number of skaters. had been on board the American Airlines flight.

(source: Reuters)