Watch CBS News

Minnesota native killed in D.C. plane crash, family friends say

Officials say no survivors in D.C. crash
No survivors after D.C. plane crash, officials believe 06:53

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota native Wendy Jo Shaffer is among those who died when a passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport, family friends tell WCCO.

Shaffer grew up in Mahtomedi and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina for work, according to a friend.

"We are devastated. Words cannot truly express what Wendy Jo meant as a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife and most importantly, a mother," Shaffer's family said in a written statement.

A GoFundMe set up by friends to help support her family has raised more than $180,000 in less than 24 hours.

"Her love, kindness, and unwavering spirit touched everyone who knew her, and her absence leaves a void that can never be filled," the fundraiser said about Shaffer. 

The FAA says around 9 p.m., American Eagle Flight No. 5342 collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while approaching a runway at Reagan National Airport. The plane, a regional jetliner, had been carrying 60 passengers and four crew members on a flight from Wichita, Kansas. 

Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter, a Defense Department official told CBS News. It was on a training flight and had belonged to B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

At least 41 bodies had been recovered as of Friday afternoon, a law enforcement source told CBS News.  

President Trump confirmed Thursday that there were no survivors.

A livestream camera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., captured the moment of the collision. The video, which has been verified by CBS News, shows an explosion in the area of the Potomac River at 8:47 p.m. Eastern.

View CBS News In
CBS News App
Chrome Safari
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.