A passenger plane carrying 64 people crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision with a US Army helicopter near Washington, DC.
Washington DC plane crash: Here’s what we know
The crash, which occurred on Wednesday night, has led to a large-scale rescue operation as authorities search for survivors.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the accident happened at approximately 21:00 local time (04:00 SAST) when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, operating as American Airlines flight 5432, collided with a US Army Sikorsky H-60 helicopter.
The plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was on its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when the collision occurred.
The Pentagon confirmed that three US soldiers were on board the helicopter, which had taken off from Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The collision sent both aircraft into the river, where emergency responders have recovered at least 18 bodies so far.
Images from the scene show the passenger jet split in half in the water, while the helicopter was found capsized. Search and rescue teams, working in freezing temperatures, continue to scour the area for survivors.
In response to the crash, all flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport have been grounded while investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA examine the circumstances leading up to the accident.
Trump raises questions about helicopter
US President Donald Trump reacted to the incident on social media, raising concerns about the sequence of events leading to the crash.
In a post on his platform, Trump questioned why the helicopter did not take evasive action, considering the clear weather conditions.
“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!!!”
US authorities, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, have said they are monitoring the situation closely.
Vice President JD Vance called for prayers for the victims, while American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed condolences, calling the crash a “devastating tragedy.”
The FAA has yet to release its preliminary findings on the cause of the collision.