A passenger plane carrying 64 passengers and crew has crashed into a river in Washington DC after it collided in mid-air with a US Army helicopter. Eighteen bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River so far, where search and rescue teams are scouring the waters in freezing temperatures, according to the BBC’s broadcast partner, CBS. US authorities are investigating and the nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has grounded all flights.
American Airlines Plane, Black Hawk Helicopter Crash
Why In News
- A passenger plane carrying 64 passengers and crew has crashed into a river in Washington DC after it collided in mid-air with a US Army helicopter. Eighteen bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River so far, where search and rescue teams are scouring the waters in freezing temperatures, according to the BBC’s broadcast partner, CBS. US authorities are investigating and the nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has grounded all flights.
What Happened Moments Before The Mid-Air Collision
- Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet which was manufactured in 2004, was inbound to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and was at an altitude of around 400 feet, flying at a speed of about 140 miles per hour, news agency AP reported.
- The flight underwent a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to its radio transponder data. A few minutes before landing, the arriving jet was asked by the air traffic controllers if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at the airport, to which the pilots responded in affirmative.
What Happened?
- At around 21:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on, PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet collided with a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at around 9pm, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The passenger plane, a Bombardier CRJ700, departed from Wichita, Kansas and was carrying 60 passengers and four crew, according to American Airlines.
- The Pentagon said the helicopter involved was a Sikorsky H-60 that took off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Three US soldiers were on board the Army aircraft, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said. All takeoffs and landings from the airport have been halted.
- Inflatable rescue boats were launched into the Potomac River and first responders set up light towers from the shore to illuminate the area near the site of the collision.
Were There Casualties
- CBS reported that 18 bodies have been pulled from the water.Early reports on US media said the passenger plane could be seen split in half on the Potomac River, while the helicopter was upside down in the water.
- About 300 responders on rubber boats have been deployed to search for survivors, said Washington DC Fire and Emergency Services Chief John Donnelly. “The challenge is access, there is wind, pieces of ice (on the water). It is dangerous and hard to work in,” he said.
What Are US Officials Saying
- President Donald Trump said he had been fully briefed on the the “terrible accident” and that he was monitoring the situation closely.
- “May God Bless their souls,” he said in a statement. “Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders.
- Vice-President JD Vance asked for prayers for those who were in the incident. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, whose appointments were just recently confirmed, also said they were monitoring the situation.
- Asked if flight paths near Ronald Reagan airport would be changed after the incident, Mr Duffy said “we will take appropriate action if necessary”.
- “There will be a review of what happened here tonight,” he said. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed his “deep sorrow” about the collision in a video which has been posted to the airline’s website.
UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter
- Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is one of the most ubiquitous and iconic military helicopters, filling multiple roles for the U.S. military, including air assault, general support, medevac, command and control, and special operations support.
- The aircraft involved in the Jan. 29 crash was flying with the call sign PAT25 and had three occupants, according to the Aviation Safety Network, a public database of aviation accidents. More than 5,000 Black Hawks have been built since production began in the mid-1970s.
