12 hours ago
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A helicopter assists with search and rescue operations over the Potomac River.
PSA Airlines, an American regional airline passenger jet collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, near Reagan Washington Airport. The jet crashed into the Potomac River, which borders the airport.
On Wednesday night, at 8:53 pm (local time), the Washington DC Police Department received multiple calls for an aircraft crash above the Potomac River.
PSA was operating American Eagle flight 5342, from Wichita, Kansas to Washington Reagan National Airport, reported the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane was carrying roughly 60 passengers, said Dr Roger Marshall, US Senator for Kansas, in a social media post on X. The helicopter, a Black Hawk Sikorsky H-60, had three soldiers aboard.
Currently, there is a lack of clarity on the number of passengers injured, authorities fear deaths. "While we don't yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities," said Ted Cruz, US Senator for Texas.
DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Metropolitan Police Department and multiple partner agencies are currently coordinating a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River. There is no confirmed information on casualties at this time, the Police said.
The Federal Aviation Authority ordered the grounding of all planes at Reagan airport, and Washington's police said on X that "multiple agencies" were responding to the crash site in the Potomac.
US President Donald Trump said he has been fully briefed on the 'terrible' accident at Reagan National Airport. In a statement, the President said he is monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.
