
A regional American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night after a midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport, officials confirmed.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the number of fatalities, but multiple bodies have been recovered from the water, according to The Washington Post. No survivors have been found so far.
Details of the Collision
American Airlines confirmed that Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was carrying 64 people—60 passengers and four crew members—when it collided with a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk. The helicopter, stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had three soldiers on board.
A web camera from the Kennedy Center captured the moment of impact at 9:47 p.m. ET, showing an explosion midair before an aircraft plunged in flames into the river.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the American Airlines regional jet was on approach to Reagan National when the collision occurred. The airport suspended all flights while emergency crews responded.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Emergency teams, including police, firefighters, and rescue boats, rushed to the crash site. Live footage showed vessels with flashing red and blue lights scouring the dark waters of the Potomac.
Inside Reagan National Airport, anxious friends and family members gathered for updates. One distraught woman, uncertain if her loved one was aboard, broke down in tears after speaking with an airport official.
Government Response
President Donald Trump issued a statement, saying he had been “fully briefed on the terrible accident.” He expressed condolences, adding, “May God bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation. American Airlines acknowledged reports of the incident and promised to share further updates.
Aviation Safety Concerns
The crash comes amid growing concerns over aviation safety in the U.S. The country has not seen a fatal passenger airline accident since 2009, but a series of near-miss incidents have raised alarms about air traffic control staffing shortages.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker resigned on January 20, leaving the agency without a named successor. The Trump administration has yet to announce an interim leader.
The last major deadly crash involving a commercial airliner in the U.S. occurred in 2009, when a Colgan Air flight crashed in New York, killing all 49 people onboard and one person on the ground.
Authorities continue search and recovery efforts. Updates to follow.