Fatalities confirmed after passenger plane collides with Army Black Hawk, source says
Fatalities confirmed after passenger plane collides with Army Black Hawk, source says
Here’s a rewritten version with improved clarity and flow:
Midair Collision Near Washington, DC: Search and Rescue Underway
A large-scale search operation is in progress after a passenger aircraft carrying 64 people collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, according to aviation and defense officials. Approximately 300 first responders are searching the frigid waters of the Potomac River, where both aircraft crashed, the DC fire chief reported.
Confirmed Fatalities, No Survivors Found Yet
Authorities have confirmed fatalities, though the exact number remains undisclosed. Rescue teams have yet to locate any survivors. According to law enforcement sources, the plane is in multiple pieces in the water, with the helicopter nearby. Reagan National Airport is closed until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday, airport officials announced.
Details of the Aircraft Involved
Passenger Plane: American Airlines Flight 5342, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, had departed from Wichita, Kansas.
Military Helicopter: A U.S. Army Black Hawk with three soldiers on board was on a training mission when the collision occurred.
Officials Respond to the Tragedy
Sen. Jerry Moran Offers Support
Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran called the crash a "deeply personal" event for Kansans, emphasizing that many may know the victims or their families. He assured the public that Congress will stay actively involved in supporting rescue efforts and the investigation. Moran has been in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the White House, the Department of Defense, and American Airlines.
President Trump Calls Incident ‘Preventable’
President Donald Trump commented on Truth Social, describing the crash as a “bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.” He questioned why the helicopter did not maneuver to avoid the collision, given the clear night and the plane’s illuminated approach path. It is unclear if Trump's statement was based on an official briefing. CNN has reached out to the White House for clarification.
Reagan Airport Closed, Dulles Unaffected
Reagan National Airport remains closed until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday, according to Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Operations at Washington Dulles International Airport are unaffected.
Search Efforts in the Potomac River
The Potomac River, where the aircraft crashed, has an average depth of 24 feet, with its deepest point near Morgantown, Maryland, reaching 107 feet. Rescuers continue to search the river’s icy waters, hoping to locate survivors.
Authorities will continue investigating the cause of the collision as search-and-recovery operations progress.
Here’s a rewritten version with improved clarity and flow:
Midair Collision Near Washington, DC: Search and Rescue Underway
A large-scale search operation is in progress after a passenger aircraft carrying 64 people collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, according to aviation and defense officials. Approximately 300 first responders are searching the frigid waters of the Potomac River, where both aircraft crashed, the DC fire chief reported.
Confirmed Fatalities, No Survivors Found Yet
Authorities have confirmed fatalities, though the exact number remains undisclosed. Rescue teams have yet to locate any survivors. According to law enforcement sources, the plane is in multiple pieces in the water, with the helicopter nearby. Reagan National Airport is closed until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday, airport officials announced.
Details of the Aircraft Involved
Passenger Plane: American Airlines Flight 5342, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, had departed from Wichita, Kansas.
Military Helicopter: A U.S. Army Black Hawk with three soldiers on board was on a training mission when the collision occurred.
Officials Respond to the Tragedy
Sen. Jerry Moran Offers Support
Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran called the crash a "deeply personal" event for Kansans, emphasizing that many may know the victims or their families. He assured the public that Congress will stay actively involved in supporting rescue efforts and the investigation. Moran has been in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the White House, the Department of Defense, and American Airlines.
President Trump Calls Incident ‘Preventable’
President Donald Trump commented on Truth Social, describing the crash as a “bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.” He questioned why the helicopter did not maneuver to avoid the collision, given the clear night and the plane’s illuminated approach path. It is unclear if Trump's statement was based on an official briefing. CNN has reached out to the White House for clarification.
Reagan Airport Closed, Dulles Unaffected
Reagan National Airport remains closed until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday, according to Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Operations at Washington Dulles International Airport are unaffected.
Search Efforts in the Potomac River
The Potomac River, where the aircraft crashed, has an average depth of 24 feet, with its deepest point near Morgantown, Maryland, reaching 107 feet. Rescuers continue to search the river’s icy waters, hoping to locate survivors.
Authorities will continue investigating the cause of the collision as search-and-recovery operations progress.
There are currently about 300 responders working in a search-and-rescue operation at the Potomac River, DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. said at a press conference at Reagan National Airport.
“At 8:58 (p.m.), the first units arrived on the scene and found an aircraft in the water and began rescue operations. This incident has grown,” he said. An alert was first sounded at 8:48 p.m., he said.
Donnelly described conditions as dark, cold and windy.
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