On Wednesday night, a deadly midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines jetliner at Ronald Reagan National Airport in the US killed 67 people, including Asra Hussain Raza, 26, a consultant from Washington, DC.
This is the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001.
Heartbroken Family Grieves at Unexpected Loss
Asra Hussain Raza, the daughter of Indian immigrants, was traveling to Wichita for a hospital turnaround project when the tragic incident occurred. She was an honors graduate from Indiana University in 2020. She marries her college sweetheart, Hamaad Raza, in August 2023.
Dr. Hashim Raza, father of Hamaad Raza confirmed to CNN that she died and expressed that she was always ready to lend a helping hand, even staying up on late calls to look after him when he covered nights in the emergency room.
Her husband, Hamaad Raza, shared his devastation with NBC Washington. “By the time I got to the airport, my life had changed forever,” he said. He recalled texting his wife just 20 minutes before the crash, but when his messages were not going through, he knew something was wrong.
“It’s just surreal. You see these things on the news, but you never imagine it happening to you,” he added.
Many people are shocked and in deep mourning for their families or loved ones left behind by the collision that happened. Official investigations into the crash are already underway to explain what caused this collision.
American Airlines has issued a statement expressing concern for passengers and crew, urging family members seeking information to contact their emergency helpline.
The investigators of the deadly collision between Black Hawk and a regional jet recovered the black boxes from the plane. On the night of January 29, a horrific collision between a regional jet and a US Army helicopter at Washington’s Reagan National Airport led to the deaths of 67 people.
The crash marks the deadliest air disaster in the United States in over two decades.