A Filipino police officer was among the people killed in a in Washington between a US , Philippine police said Friday.

The Wednesday night disaster caused both aircraft to tumble into the icy Potomac River, .

"The Philippine National Police mourns the tragic loss of Police Colonel Pergentino N. Malabed, chief of the Supply Management Division, who was among those on board the American Airlines flight that collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport," an official statement said.

Manila was notified that a body carrying Malabed's passport was , police spokesman Colonel Randulf Tuano told reporters.

Malabed's widow is set to fly to the US to formally identify and claim the remains, Tuano added.

Malabed and two other officers had flown to the US to test personnel vests that the Philippine police planned to purchase.

Malabed then headed onwards alone intending "to pay a courtesy call" to the police attache of the Philippine embassy in Washington.