Listen To Story Above
A tragic collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter occurred near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, resulting in numerous casualties. The aircraft, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was attempting to land when it struck the military helicopter on a training mission.
Search and rescue teams recovered more than 30 bodies from the frigid Potomac River. Three Army personnel were aboard the helicopter at the time of the incident, according to military officials.
The airport suspended all flight operations as dive teams and law enforcement helicopters conducted extensive search efforts. Rescue boats surrounded the partially submerged aircraft debris, including a wing section and damaged fuselage visible in the water.
🚨 #BREAKING: New angle of the American Airlines plane vs. Blackhawk crash in DC
The Blackhawk sees to be almost TOTALLY dark. pic.twitter.com/C6AXBSeXjZ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 30, 2025
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed reporters at a solemn press conference but declined to confirm casualty numbers. “We are going to recover our fellow citizens,” she stated.
“When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said.
President Donald Trump indicated he had received a full briefing on the incident, stating, “May God Bless their souls,” in reference to the passengers.
Among those aboard were figure skating athletes, coaches, and families returning from a development camp following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. The victims included renowned Russian pair skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, 1994 world champions and two-time Olympians who coached at the Skating Club of Boston.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that Flight 5342 from Wichita collided with the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter before 9 p.m. ET. The crash occurred in heavily restricted airspace, approximately three miles from the White House and Capitol.
Flight data revealed the Bombardier CRJ-701 was descending at 400 feet altitude, traveling around 140 mph when it experienced a sudden altitude loss. Shortly before impact, air traffic control had cleared the aircraft for landing on Runway 33, with the helicopter instructed to pass behind the passenger jet.
Surveillance footage from the Kennedy Center captured what appeared to be two aircraft lights merging into a fireball. The plane’s transponder signal ceased about 2,400 feet from the runway over the river’s center.
Trump vows to "set the highest possible bar for aviation safety" following the plane crash in DC.
"We have to have our smartest people. It doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. It matters — intellect. Talent." pic.twitter.com/KGYwLnqwyW
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 30, 2025
The rescue operation involved approximately 300 first responders working in challenging conditions, with water temperatures at 36 degrees Fahrenheit and wind gusts up to 25 mph. Multiple boats equipped with searchlights scanned the crash site as shore teams provided illumination.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” and pledged support for affected families and emergency personnel.
The incident represents a significant challenge for newly appointed officials Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Both agencies launched immediate investigations into the crash.
This marks the deadliest U.S. commercial aviation accident since 2009’s Buffalo crash that claimed 50 lives. Reagan National Airport, known for its scenic approach offering views of Washington landmarks, will resume operations Thursday at 11 a.m.
The collision evoked memories of the 1982 Air Florida crash into the Potomac that resulted in 78 fatalities.