A CRJ-700 passenger jet operated by American Airlines collided mid-air with a U.S. Army H-60 “Black Hawk” helicopter near Washington, DC, leaving many feared dead.
Emergency crews have so far recovered at least 18 bodies, with 64 people reported on board the commercial aircraft and three U.S. soldiers in the helicopter.
The crash occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, forcing air traffic to be diverted and triggering an extensive rescue operation. Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, speaking from the airport, stated that firefighters are working “diligently” under challenging conditions, including darkness, cold weather, and icy waters. Around 300 emergency personnel are involved in the efforts.
Authorities confirmed that both aircraft went down in the Potomac River. A specialized FBI dive team has been deployed to assist in recovery efforts. DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. described the conditions as hazardous.
“The challenges are access. The water that we’re operating in is about 8 feet deep, there is wind, there is pieces of ice out there so it’s just dangerous and hard to work in,” Donnelly said. “The water is dark, it is murky, and that is a very tough condition for them to dive in.”
An American Airlines plane crashed into a river near Washington after colliding with a US Army helicopter.
The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members, while the helicopter had three soldiers on board. Rescuers have recovered 18 bodies, with no survivors reported so… pic.twitter.com/BaJLXc3U9w
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) January 30, 2025
Donnelly noted that recovery operations could take several days. “If you can imagine, the river is a large black spot at night with no lights on it, except for a few buoy lights,” he said.
At the time of the crash, approximately 19 aircraft were in the air near Reagan National Airport and were redirected to Dulles International Airport, located about 20 miles west.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, Reagan National Airport had 858 scheduled flights on Wednesday and 869 for Thursday. The airport will remain closed until at least 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, officials confirmed.
The cause of the collision remains unclear. Mayor Bowser emphasized that the immediate priority is rescuing survivors, stating, “The focus now is rescuing people, and that’s what all of our personnel are focused on.”
She confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation but declined to provide further details on recovery efforts.
Earlier, American Airlines told CNN that 60 passengers and four crew members were on board the plane at the time of the crash.
With search efforts ongoing, officials warn that the full scope of the tragedy may not be known for several days.