Witnesses have provided details of the events that unfolded at the time of the collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter over the Potomac River.

On Wednesday night, American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter exploding in a fiery impact as it approached Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC.

Onlookers reported a bright landing light being lit up as a smaller light flew toward the nearby airport before the two aircraft collided.

Now, one onlooker says he saw “white flares” lighting up the sky.

Local resident Jimmy Mazeo told WUSA9 that he initially “didn’t think much of it” and thought the collision resembled “shooting stars.”

“We didn’t really think much of it until we saw the fire trucks started going out to the tarmac and the police cars and boats. It was insane,” he said.

After first responders arrived at the scene, Mazeo realized that he and his partner had witnessed an extremely serious tragedy.

Mazeo said that he was “very on edge” and “wondered what the giant response was for.”

“I’m really in awe. Of course it’s terrible what happened tonight, but I think that it’s crazy we got to see what happened. I’m praying for all the people involved in this,” he added.

Abadi Ismail said he had a “cinematic view” of the Potomac River and Reagan National Airport as he was near Buzzard Point in Southwest Washington, DC when the mid-air collision happened.

“It was a very loud bang, something I was not familiar with, something you don’t normally hear,” Abadi Ismail told FOX5.

“So I turn to the window to take a look and that’s when I saw some smoke outside of the airport. I still wasn’t able to comprehend everything. A few minutes later I saw the Coast Guard, the DC police, Arlington police, the fire trucks, and every resource heading to the scene.”

Ismail added that the Potomac River, where the search and rescue operation is taking place, has frozen over.

“It’s about 39 degrees as we speak,” he added. “It’s been frozen since the inauguration day, so that’s another hassle the US Coast Guard has to maneuver through.”

Some 300 first responders are enduring dark, cold and windy conditions as they continue to execute “a rescue operation” in Potomac River, officials said.

“Our fire department, DC fire and EMS, supported by fire departments and police departments from across the metropolitan region are executing a rescue operation in the Potomac River,” Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser said Thursday.  

“They are working diligently in very dark, cold conditions – cold water – to execute this rescue operation,” she added.”