An American Airlines regional jet collided with a helicopter in midair while landing at Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, according to the Associated Press.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the collision took place at approximately 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time when the military Blackhawk helicopter collided with the regional aircraft that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, as it approached the airport runway.
Sixty passengers and four crew members were aboard American Airlines flight 5342, according to CBS News. CBS was informed by an official that three US Army personnel were aboard the Black Hawk Sikorsky H-60.
According to data from its radio transponder, the aircraft experienced a precipitous decrease in altitude while flying over the Potomac River.
Ronald Reagan Airport has suspended all aircraft take-offs and landings as a result of the incident at the airfield, according to a post on X.
Near the Potomac River, the DC fire department, police officials, and the US Coast Guard are conducting a search and rescue operation to locate survivors of the disaster. The Washington Post reported that police officials have begun to retrieve numerous carcasses from the river, citing unnamed sources.
A statement was issued by US President Donald Trump, in which he stated, “I have been thoroughly informed about the tragic incident that occurred at Reagan National Airport.” God bless their spirits. It is with gratitude that we acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of our first responders. More information will be provided as it becomes available, as I am currently monitoring the situation.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was recently affirmed, stated that the Pentagon is “actively monitoring” the situation. Also, Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation, declared that he was at the FAA headquarters and was “monitoring the situation closely.”
There were fatalities in the accident, according to US Senator Ted Cruz; however, the exact number of passengers on board is still unknown. “While we don’t yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities,” Cruz indicated on X.
After the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board announced that it was in the process of accumulating additional information.
