An American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport before sending both aircraft into the icy Potomac River on Wednesday night.
Authorities have launched an extensive search and rescue operation but have yet to confirm the number of survivors.
The American Airlines Flight 5342 traveling from Wichita, Kansas was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it struck a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter with three military personnel on board. The crash occurred just before 9 p.m. local time as the jet approached the runway.
Emergency teams worked through the wreckage, searching for survivors amid difficult conditions. Officials at a press briefing declined to provide casualty figures.
“We’re waiting for more concrete information that would indicate what transpired, how this happened,” said Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas. “But more importantly, we’re hoping that there are survivors.”
Footage of the collision circulated online, showing the two aircraft bursting into flames before crashing into the river.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the crash, questioning the actions of the military helicopter.
“The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time,” he wrote on Truth Social. “It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) assisting. Reagan Airport has suspended all operations, and the Pentagon has confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is closely monitoring the situation. Rescue efforts remain ongoing.
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