ALBAWABA - A tragic midair collision between a commercial passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter sent both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, triggering a massive search and rescue operation.
The passenger jet, an American Eagle Flight 5342 operated by PSA Airlines, was carrying 64 people—including 60 passengers and four crew members—when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter during its approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time. The helicopter, based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was on a training flight with three soldiers on board, according to the Army.
Authorities reported three debris fields in the river and confirmed that at least 18 bodies had been recovered by 11:30 p.m. ET. No survivors had been found as of the latest update.
All flights at Reagan National Airport were immediately grounded.
“A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. The aircraft had departed from Wichita, Kansas, earlier in the evening.
A livestream camera at the Kennedy Center captured the moment of impact, showing an explosion over the Potomac River at 8:47 p.m.
President Donald Trump acknowledged the crash, saying he had been “fully briefed on the terrible accident” and was monitoring the situation closely. “May God bless their souls,” he said in a statement, commending first responders for their efforts.
The FBI stated that, at this time, the crash was not being treated as a criminal event. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon was actively monitoring the situation and prepared to provide assistance if needed.
The crash marks one of the deadliest aviation incidents in recent U.S. history. The last major fatal crash occurred in 2009, when a Colgan Air flight operating for United Airlines crashed in Buffalo, New York, killing 49 people.
