An American Airlines regional jet crashed into the Potomac River after a midair collision with a military helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport in the United States, resulting in at least 18 fatalities.
The collision involved American Eagle Flight 5342, a CRJ-700 operated by PSA Airlines, and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday, January 29 around 9 p.m. (Eastern time), the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
As of 11:30 p.m., at least 18 bodies had been recovered, with no survivors found so far, according to CBS News, citing police officials.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom confirmed in a statement that Flight 5342, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. Meanwhile, the Army Black Hawk helicopter had three soldiers on board for a training flight.
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services said that a multi-agency search and rescue operation in the Potomac River is ongoing.
In response to the crash, all flights at Reagan Washington National Airport were grounded Wednesday night. An airport announcement stated that operations would not resume before 5 a.m. Thursday, and affected passengers have been advised to rebook their flights.
