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Midair collision near D.C. causes multiple fatalities
Midair collision near D.C. involving American Airlines jet and Army helicopter leaves multiple fatalities; investigation ongoing.
Midair collision near D.C. involving American Airlines jet and Army helicopter leaves multiple fatalities; investigation ongoing.
A PSA Airlines CRJ700 jet with 60 passengers and 4 crew collided mid-air with a U.S. Army UH-60 BlackHawk near Reagan National Airport.
– Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River. The jet is in pieces, and the helicopter is also submerged.
– 18 fatalities confirmed, no survivors rescued yet.
– All flights at Reagan halted as search and rescue continues.
– Trump: “Fully briefed on the terrible accident… should have been prevented.”
Authorities are investigating a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Wednesday. American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was about to land when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on the regional jet, and three people on the helicopter. Texas Senator Ted Cruz confirmed fatalities, though specific numbers are not yet available.
Search and rescue teams are currently at the crash site near the Potomac River, where freezing conditions are hindering efforts. The river’s temperature is complicating the situation, reminiscent of the 1982 Air Florida disaster.
A webcam appeared to capture a midair explosion, raising concerns about the severity of the collision. Emergency services have responded, and Reagan National Airport has been closed.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the event and expressed condolences, thanking first responders and affirming that he is monitoring the situation.
This event occurs during a period when the Federal Aviation Administration lacks a permanent leader. Currently, Chris Rocheleau is running the agency on an interim basis.
American Airlines has established a hotline for inquiries regarding passengers on Flight 5342. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to understand the cause of the collision. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.
Officials give update
At a 1 a.m. press conference, officials maintained that the operation was still a rescue effort, though Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall assumed fatalities.
“We mourn with the families who’ve lost loved ones,” he said. Later asked by CNN if he had had fatalities confirmed to him Marshall said, “No, but I’m a physician and I’m not stupid. There have been no ambulances leaving here.”
Earlier in the night, the FAA issued the following statement:
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 around 9 p.m. local time. PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation.
In a social media post, President Donald Trump, who had been fully briefed by the White House, expressed his confusion about the cause of the helicopter crash. He questioned why the helicopter didn’t ascend, descend, or turn, and why the control tower didn’t instruct it instead of asking if they had spotted the plane.
Trump emphasised that this situation appears preventable and is a cause for concern.
The DC police confirmed that the crash had occurred over the Potomac River, and search and rescue operations were underway in the river itself. A fire official reported that the water where the dive crews are working is approximately eight feet deep, filled with ice and murky conditions.
The National Weather Service further predicted that the temperature in the area would drop below freezing, with lows in the 20s.