Wichita Mayor Lily Wu is calling on the community to pray for the passengers and families involved in the crash of of a flight from Eisenhower National Airport.

American Airlines said a regional jet operated by PSA Airlines collided with an Army helicopter Wednesday evening while on approach to Reagan National Airport.  Flight 5342 had 60 passengers on board with four crew members, and there were three soldiers on the helicopter.   D.C. Fire and Rescue officials said there are no survivors.

Wichita Director of Airports Jesse Romo said an incident family support team was set up at Eisenhower National to provide information and support to family members, and a number of volunteers have staffed the team at the terminal.   A chaplain is also part of the team.

Mayor Wu and City Council members spoke at a news conference Thursday morning and the mayor said “Our hearts are heavy as a city” and they are still learning details minute-by-minute.  She expressed thanks to the first responders in Washington, D.C.   She said “We mourn with all those who have been impacted.  This is a terrible tragedy that will unite those in Washington, D.C. and Wichita, Kansas forever.”

Congressman Ron Estes also spoke at the news conference and he said he has been in contact with the White House and the National Transportation Safety Board.  He said an investigation into the crash will begin after the recovery efforts conclude, and it will take days and weeks to go through that process.  He said the tragedy will affect the community for years to come.

The flight was a new service that was started a year ago at Eisenhower National Airport to connect Wichita with Washington, D.C.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a statement in response to the tragedy:

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives last night and extend my deepest condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones. I have been in constant communication with federal, state, and local officials overnight and want to thank the over 300 first responders from across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for their response efforts. I will issue a flag order today to acknowledge this devastating event and tragic loss of lives.”

There was also a statement from the entire Kansas congressional delegation, Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and House members Tracey Mann, Derek Schmidt, Sharice Davids and Ron Estes:

“Our prayers are with the families and friends of those affected by the tragic plane crash that occurred in our nation’s capital. South Central Kansas is a close community, and it’s likely that many of us directly or indirectly know people who were on Flight 5342 on Jan. 29. This is a sad day for Kansans and our nation, and this community, steeped in aviation and manufacturing history, will feel the pain of this catastrophe for years to come. We are grateful for the first responders and rescue crews who worked through the night. Our focus now is supporting the family and friends of those who perished, including the crew and military personnel, and then getting answers for the grieving individuals who have lost a loved one and making sure this doesn’t happen again.”