ARLINGTON, Va. — A passenger jet and an Army helicopter collided during a landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday evening, triggering a major search and rescue operation in the Potomac River.
Initial reports provided no casualty information. All airport activity ceased following the incident, with law enforcement helicopters searching for survivors. Inflatable rescue boats launched into the Potomac River near the George Washington Parkway, north of the airport.
President Trump received a briefing, his press secretary stated, and Vice President Vance urged social media users on X to pray for those involved.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the mid-air collision happened around 9 p.m. EST. A regional jet from Wichita, Kansas, struck a military Black Hawk helicopter as it approached the runway.
Air traffic control tower audio reveals a controller asking the helicopter about the passenger jet’s visibility moments before the apparent collision. Another pilot then reported the incident to the tower.
The tower immediately diverted other aircraft.
American Airlines acknowledged reports of its flight’s involvement and promised further updates when available.
Footage from a Kennedy Center observation camera shows two sets of lights, possibly aircraft, merging into a fireball.
The airport reported an aircraft incident and confirmed emergency responders were on the scene.
The event evoked memories of the 1982 Air Florida crash into the Potomac, which claimed 78 lives. That accident was attributed to poor weather conditions.
Further details remain unavailable.
—Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Meg Kinnard and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.