WASHINGTON — A commercial plane and a military helicopter collided midair near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
Both of the aircraft — an American Eagle jet and Army Black Hawk — are in the Potomac River. There were 64 people on the plane and three in the helicopter.
The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. ET. The number of casualties is unclear, as a search-and-rescue operation is ongoing.
President Donald Trump said in a statement Wednesday night that he has been fully briefed on the crash. He thanked first responders and said he “will provide more details as they arise.”
The airport is closed until at least 11 a.m. Thursday.
What we know about the plane
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on American Eagle Flight 5342, which was traveling from Wichita to Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, just over the Washington line, according to American Airlines.
The crash took place near the airport.
American Airlines said it was in contact with authorities and assisting with response efforts. The company said its concern was “for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft.”
What we know about the helicopter
The Army confirmed that the helicopter was a Black Hawk operating out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Preliminary indications are that three people were on board the helicopter and that it was on a training flight, an Army official said.
What we know about the search for survivors
Search-and-rescue teams are at the Potomac River. NBC Washington has reported that crews have recovered the bodies of people who died in the crash, citing two sources close to the recovery efforts.
Officials have not yet said how many casualties there are.
The Washington Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and the Metropolitan Police Department are coordinating a search-and-rescue operation, the departments said in a joint statement.
The FBI is also working with local agencies as a search is underway for survivors, the Washington field office said in a statement.
The local departments said in their joint statement shortly before 10 p.m. that there is “no confirmed information on casualties at this time.”
Firefighters are “engaged in dive operations,” Edward Kelly, the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said on X.
