At least 18 dead in midair collision between American Airlines plane, Army helicopter in Washington: What we know so far

American Airlines

At least 18 people are feared dead in a major mid-air collision, when a jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided on Wednesday with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington.

According to CBS, 18 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River following the plane crash with initial estimates suggesting there are no survivors.

A massive search-and-rescue operation is under way in the nearby Potomac River.

* The midair collision occurred around 9 p.m. EST near Reagan National Airport, involving a regional jet and a military helicopter.

* Emergency crews launched boats and set up light towers near the Potomac River to find any signs of survivors.

* Several members of the US figure skating community were aboard the passenger jet that crashed in Washington.

* Aircraft involved

- American Airlines Flight 5342: A Bombardier CRJ-701 regional jet, inbound from Wichita, Kansas, with about 70 passengers on board. The plane suffered a rapid loss of altitude and crashed over the Potomac River.

- Military Helicopter: A UH-60 Blackhawk from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on a training flight with a crew of three soldiers.

* Investigators are working to determine the cause. The aircraft were operating in controlled airspace, just three miles south of the White House.

A plane and a helicopter collided mid-air near DCA airport in Washington DC. Initial reports indicate that the plane, AA5342, crashed into the Potomac River. Flight tracking data shows the plane did not reach the runway and was last recorded over the river. pic.twitter.com/08EMyJbmoL

Art Network USA (@ArtNetworkUSA) January 30, 2025

* The collision occurred about 2,400 feet from the runway, over the Potomac River, near the Kennedy Center.

* The commercial jet was cleared to land on Runway 33. Moments before the crash, air traffic controllers instructed the helicopter to pass behind the jet.

* According to a CNN report, the US Army Blackhawk helicopter was on a training flight at the time of the incident.

* Radio communication stopped for the plane just before the crash, approximately over the river.

* The Reagan National Airport has been closed until 5 a.m. Friday for investigation.

* US President Trump was briefed on the accident and offered condolences, saying, "May God Bless their souls."

* The incident brings to mind the 1982 Air Florida crash in the Potomac River and the 2009 Buffalo crash, marking significant past aviation tragedies in the region.

(With inputs from agencies)