A New York woman was aboard the American Airlines jet when the plane collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River, Mayor Eric Adams revealed Friday.
Melissa Jane Nicandri, 28, was identified two days after the tragic crash by the mayor in a social media post.
"Today, we learned that one of the 67 victims of the heartbreaking crash on Wednesday was a fellow New Yorker, Melissa Jane Nicandri. At just 28 years old, her life was tragically cut short," Adams posted on X. "My heart and my prayers go out to her loved ones."
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WATCH HEREIt wasn't immediately clear yet if Nicandri's body had been recovered as of Friday afternoon. First responders had returned to the river for another day as part of the recovery and investigation after the midair crash killed 67 people.
More than 40 bodies have been pulled from the river as the massive recovery effort continued, two law enforcement officials said.
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SIGN UP "We are devastated by the sudden loss of Melissa. She was everything that anyone could hope for with a daughter - beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and generous. Her future was so bright. Melissa had an adventurous spirit and will be missed forever," Nicandri's family said in a statement shared with NBC New York.
Nicandri was traveling back to New York following a work trip in Kansas and had a connection through Reagan National Airport, her mother told Gothamist.
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The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members, and three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.
