Washington – A commercial plane and a military helicopter collided in the air near the Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
Both airplanes, an American eagle jet and a black Halcon of the army, are on the Potomac River. There were 64 people on the plane and three in the helicopter.
The incident occurred shortly before 9 pm et. The number of victims is not clear, since a search and rescue operation is ongoing.
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President Donald Trump said in a statement on Wednesday night that he has been completely informed about the accident. He thanked lifeguards and said “will provide more details as they arise.”
The airport is closed until at least 11 am on Thursday.
What we know about the plane
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on Flight 5342 of American Eagle, which was traveling from Wichita to Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, just on the Washington line, according to American Airlines.
The accident took place near the airport.
American Airlines said he was in contact with the authorities and helped with the response efforts. The company said its concern was “for passengers and the crew on board the plane.”
What we know about the helicopter
The army confirmed that the helicopter was a black hawk that operated from Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The preliminary indications are that three people were aboard the helicopter and that he was on a training flight, an army official said.
What we know about the search for survivors
Search and rescue teams are on the Potomac River. NBC Washington has reported that the teams have recovered the bodies of the people who died in the accident, citing two sources close to recovery efforts.
The authorities have not yet said how many victims are there.
The Department of Medical Services of Firefighters and Emergencies of Washington 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, since a search is underway for the survivors, said Washington’s field office in a statement.
The local departments said in their joint statement shortly before 10 pm that “there is no confirmed information about victims at this time.”
Firefighters are “involved in diving operations,” said Edward Kelly, general president of the International Fire Association, in X.
