An American Airlines passenger jet collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington DC, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 people. The crash occurred around 9pm local time on Wednesday, with both aircraft plunging into the icy waters of the Potomac River near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
A PSA Airlines jet carrying 64 people collided mid-air with a US Army helicopter before crashing into the Potomac River near Washington DC.
18 bodies have been recovered so far as search teams work in freezing conditions. #WashingtonDC #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/lPtQKEDnex
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American Airlines flight 5342, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was en route from Wichita, Kansas, when it collided with the military helicopter, which had three soldiers on board. An initial search and rescue operation was launched, but by Thursday morning, officials confirmed that the effort had transitioned into a recovery mission.
Authorities have recovered 27 bodies from the passenger plane and one from the helicopter. Fire Chief John Donnelly stated that no survivors are expected to be found. The wreckage of the American Airlines plane was discovered upside down and in three sections in waist-deep water.
US Figure Skating confirmed that several members of its community were on board the passenger flight, returning home from a training camp in Kansas. Among the victims were world champion figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who had been working as coaches at the Skating Club of Boston. Doug Zeghibe, the club’s chief executive, said that six skaters from Boston, including two teenage athletes and their mothers, were among those who perished.
US President Donald Trump expressed condolences and praised emergency responders for their efforts. The Kremlin also issued a statement mourning the loss of Russian citizens in the crash.
The collision occurred within highly controlled airspace, just over three miles from the White House and the US Capitol. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy described the crash as “absolutely preventable,” stating that both aircraft were following “standard flight patterns” and maintaining “standard communication” before impact.
Shortly before landing, air traffic controllers had asked the American Airlines flight to switch to Runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which the pilots accepted. Flight tracking data showed the passenger plane approaching from the south while the military helicopter was approaching from the north.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an investigation into the crash had begun immediately. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the collision, and American Airlines CEO Robert Isom stated that it remains unclear why the military aircraft entered the flight path of the commercial plane.
