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WASHINGTON (CN) — A helicopter and a small passenger plane carrying more than 60 people collided mid-air near the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night, leading emergency responders to conduct a search and rescue mission on the Potomac River.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the collision occurred between a military helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 around 9 p.m. Eastern Time as the plane was landing at the airport after departing from Wichita, Kansas.
“All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA,” Reagan airport posted on X, adding the that the airport remains closed until 11 p.m. “Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield.”
A multiagency emergency response effort unfolded following the collision, involving the Metropolitan Police Department, D.C. Fire and EMS Services, the U.S. Park Police, Coast Guard and other agencies. The response included fireboats scouring the river to search for survivors.
The collision comes as Washington has endured a lengthy bout of cold to freezing temperatures, where large swaths of the Potomac were frozen, to the point that residents could venture out onto the ice local emergency services could practice frozen river rescues on the river.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hosted a briefing at Reagan National Airport early Thursday morning with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly and Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall.
Bowser said that officials could only confirm early Thursday morning the number of people present on board the flight and the military aircraft — 64 on the American Airlines flight and 3 on the helicopter — but the National Transportation Safety Board would have further information on the rescue operation later.
Senator Roger Marshall expressed his condolences to the families who may have lost loved ones in the accident, some of whom were present at the Reagan National Airport.
“When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many people die its a heartbreak,” Marshall said.
Donnelly added that there were at least 300 emergency responders engaged in the search and rescue operations, all of which were taking place in the Potomac River.
Bowser shared her own condolences on behalf of the city and the “700,000 of us who feel for the families who lost loved ones tonight.”
President Donald Trump called the collision a “terrible accident” and said he had been fully briefed on the incident in a statement Wednesday night.
“May God bless their souls,” Trump said. “Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arrive.”
Trump later posted on Truth Social questioning the circumstances of the collision.
“It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn,” Trump wrote. “Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
American Airlines said in a statement that there were 60 passengers and four crew members on board American Eagle Flight 5342. The aircraft, operated by American Airlines-owned subsidiary PSA Airlines, was a CRJ-700 aircraft.
Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, said in a video statement that the company was working with authorities to assist in the search and rescue efforts and offered a helpline for anyone who may have had loved ones on board: 1-800-679-8215.
“First and most importantly, I’d like to express our deep sorrow about these events,” Isom said. “This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders along with their families and loved ones.”
Several lawmakers responded to the collision, sending condolences and hopes for a successful rescue operation.
The collision comes as Sean Duffy was confirmed earlier Wednesday to his position as Secretary of Transportation. He has reportedly been briefed on the situation along with President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Video footage captured atop the Kennedy Center captured the collision, which was shared on X by independent journalist Alejandro Alvarez.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin both said they mobilized emergency teams from their respective states to assist in the search and rescue efforts.
Army spokesperson Colonel Roger Cabiness II confirmed in an emailed statement that the military aircraft involved in the collision was an Army UH-60, or Black Hawk, helicopter from Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced it would keep the Silver Metro Line open later Wednesday to carry people to and from Reagan National Airport and sent warming buses to support the rescue efforts amid near-freezing temperatures.
The Washington airspace is one of the most sensitive and complex air corridors in the country, where the airport’s proximity to the White House, U.S. Capitol, Pentagon and other civilian and military facilities requires that most operations remain classified. The region is home to three major airports, 11 regional airports and 55 heliports, not counting those operated by the military.
The crash also follows a debate last year regarding the addition of five round-trip flights at Reagan National Airport over the objections of members from the Washington-area delegation, who expressed concern that the airport was already at capacity.
This story is developing and will be updated…
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