American Airlines confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday, Jan. 31, that flight 5342 will cease to exist. The airline is retiring the number following the tragic collision in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan.

According to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, both the helicopter and the American Eagle flight were in a "standard flight pattern" as the latter was on final approach to DCA. The collision and crash reportedly led to the CRJ700 separating into three pieces and inverted underwater.

Rescue craft are in the Potomac River below the site of the collision with D.C. fire chief John Donnelly saying "we don't know" if there are any survivors.