An American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the frigid Potomac River after a midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft.

Authorities have confirmed that no survivors are expected in the accident and the emergency response teams have recovered 27 bodies from the plane and one from the helicopter so far. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, though officials acknowledge the difficult conditions due to freezing temperatures and limited visibility in the icy waters.

During a press conference, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the crash was “preventable” and clarified that there was no communication failure between the two aircraft. The control tower issued an alert at 8:48 p.m. local time (01:48 GMT), prompting a large-scale emergency response involving approximately 300 rescue workers.

BREAKING:

New video shows the moment a plane collided with a helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC.

A search for survivors in the Potomac River is ongoing pic.twitter.com/oJ57ivyVWw

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 30, 2025

Three US Army soldiers were onboard a BlackHawk helicopter. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the status of the soldiers was unknown, but added that no senior officials were on the helicopter.

Also read | Coast Guard ‘deploying every available’ resource for rescue ops in plane crash, says Homeland Security Secy

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the incident.

For more information, visit https://t.co/ECDOdj1kdr. pic.twitter.com/Z5vWq4vUJ2

— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 30, 2025

No casualties have been reported so far.

We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.

— americanair (@AmericanAir) January 30, 2025

All takeoffs and landings from the airport near Washington were halted as helicopters from agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors. Inflatable rescue boats were being launched into the Potomac River from a point near the airport along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport.

An @AmericanAir regional jet collided mid-air with an army helicopter near #Reagan #Washington National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed. Search & #rescue operations are underway on the river, officials said. #crash #potomac #washington #cnbctv18digital pic.twitter.com/pYKRhHs3lI

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) January 30, 2025

The FAA said the midair collision occurred around 9 pm EST when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, smashed into a military Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to an airport runway.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom issued a statement expressing the airline’s full cooperation with federal and local authorities in responding to the disaster. “We are working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), local emergency services, and all relevant agencies to provide the necessary support during this tragic incident,” Isom said in a video message.

US President Donald Trump said it is a bad situation which could have been prevented.

“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a clear night, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” Trump posted on X.

On January 21, US President Donald Trump moved quickly to remake the Department of Homeland Security, firing the heads of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Coast Guard before their terms are up, and eliminated all the members of a key aviation security advisory group.