By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A small aircraft crashed in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport late Wednesday, and fire boats were on the scene, the Washington fire department said.

Police boats have returned to the Potomac River as part of the recovery and investigation after the United States’ deadliest aviation disaster in almost a quarter century

While driving home, Ari Shulman said a "spray of sparks" in the sky caught his attention as he watched in horror the midair collision unfold.

One of the worst nightmares for travelers might have just happened. An American Airlines plane from Wichita, Kansas (Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport – ICT) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) appears to have crashed into the Potomac River.

A timeline of the tragic collision between a commercial plane and a Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River, with insights into the ongoing investigation.

A deer in danger in Washington, D.C. was saved from the icy Potomac River by first responders. The Washington Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Patrol and the D.C. Fire and EMS Fireboat crew.

Animal rescuers in Washington, D.C., teamed up with police and firefighters to rescue a deer stranded in the icy Potomac River.

A small aircraft crashed in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, prompting a multi-agency search and rescue operation. The incident led to the halting of all takeoffs and landings at the airport.

The science behind the temperatures? Water transfers heat away from the body 25 times faster than air, according to Johnson. On Wednesday night, the Potomac River water temperature, specifically the body of water around Hanes Point and Reagan National Airport, was 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hundreds of responders have removed at least 28 bodies from the icy waters of the Potomac River after a deadly plane crash, according to officials as of Thursday morning.

In seconds, the wreckage of each aircraft plunged into the icy Potomac River, the victims with it. All perished.