A devastating mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., has reportedly left at least 19 confirmed dead after an American Airlines flight crashed into a military helicopter, sending both aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River.
Tragic Collision Over the Potomac
American Airlines Flight 5342, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was making its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it suddenly lost altitude at around 400 feet.
Traveling at approximately 140 miles per hour, the aircraft adjusted its trajectory to land on Runway 33 after clearance from air traffic control, The Guardian reports.
Mere moments before impact, an air traffic controller radioed the approaching military helicopter, asking if it had the incoming jet in sight. Another call followed: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” But within seconds, the two aircraft collided, CNN reports.
The plane’s radio transponder went silent just 2,400 feet short of the runway — right over the Potomac. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, pulling at least 19 bodies from the river in the hours following the disaster, media sources are reporting as of this writing.
Unanswered Questions on What Went Wrong
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials confirmed the mid-air crash occurred around 9:00PM local time.
Flight 5342 had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was preparing to land in Washington when it struck a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter, which had taken off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia for a routine training mission, NBC News reports.
President Donald Trump said early Thursday morning that the midair collision was a “bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented”.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, President Trump said: “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!!!” the president continued.
What led to the collision remains unclear. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation to determine whether human error, equipment malfunction, or communication failures played a role.
Are There Any Survivors?
The full death toll remains uncertain. Of the 64 people aboard Flight 5342, authorities have so far recovered 19 bodies.
U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that multiple members of its community were on board the ill-fated flight.
“These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,” the organization said in a statement, per CNN.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
The helicopter had three soldiers on board, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said. Officials have not confirmed fatalities among the military personnel.
The three military personnel were reportedly taking part in a training flight.
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Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas lamented the heartbreaking loss: “When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die, it’s an unbearable sorrow.”
Treacherous Conditions Hampering Recovery Efforts
Rescue and recovery operations are proving challenging, according to D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly. The Potomac River, approximately eight feet deep where the wreckage went down, is making underwater searches extremely difficult.
“The water is dark,” Donnelly explained. “It is murky.”
“That is a very tough condition for them to dive in,” Donnelly added.
With freezing temperatures and strong winds complicating efforts, around 300 emergency responders remain on-site, scouring the river for more victims. All flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport have been suspended until at least 11:00AM local time to accommodate the search mission.
Eyewitness Describes Seeing ‘White Flares’ in the Sky
Washington resident Jimmy Mazeo was enjoying dinner in a park when he noticed strange lights above.
“We saw these white flares streak across the sky. At first, we thought they were shooting stars,” he told WUSA9.
It wasn’t until emergency vehicles swarmed the area that the gravity of the situation sank in.
“We didn’t really think much of it until we saw the fire trucks, police cars, and boats racing toward the river. It was insane,” he said.
Mazeo described feeling a mix of awe and anxiety. “Of course, it’s terrible what happened tonight, but I think it’s crazy we got to see what happened. I’m praying for all the people involved in this.”
What Happens Next?
Investigators from the FAA and NTSB are piecing together the final moments before impact, while rescue teams continue their desperate search for survivors. With many questions still unanswered, families of the victims are left waiting, hoping for any updates in what has already become one of the most tragic aviation disasters in recent history.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the accident, thanking first responders for their “incredible work.” The nation now mourns as the investigation continues.
Our thoughts go out to every person impacted by this tragedy and we wish the emergency services the best with their ongoing efforts.
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