A longtime Atlanta area air traffic controller said he was devastated to learn about the deadly midair collision near Ronald Reagan National Airport.

ATLANTA — After an American Airlines passenger jet and Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night, several flights between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. have been impacted on Thursday.

A solider involved in the American Airlines jet that collided with an Army helicopter has ties to Gwinnett County.

As the American Eagle Flight 5342, a CRJ jet, approached the helicopter, the tower controller asked the helicopter pilot if he had the CRJ in sight. The helicopter pilot cannot be heard responding to the question before the two aircraft collided.

A jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard collided Wednesday with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River.

Flights at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. were suspended Thursday morning after the collision of an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter Wednesday.

A passenger jet collided with a helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday evening, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River

A passenger jet has collided with a helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington

Rescue efforts have been ongoing throughout the night after a passenger jet crashed mid-air with an Army helicopter as it was landing at DCA.

Chief John Donnelly, DC Fire and EMS said the mission has switched from a rescue to a recovery. They have recovered 27 bodies from the American Airlines flight and one from the helicopter. Donnelly said there were no survivors. Officials from area medical examiner offices are working to identify those killed in the crash.

ATLANTA — Officials have shut down Ronald Reagan National Airport until 11 a.m. Thursday after an American Airlines passenger jet and Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night.