A tragic mid-air collision between a passenger jet and a US Army helicopter has resulted in a plane crash into the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The incident, which involved a PSA Airlines flight, has led to the recovery of 18 bodies from the river as search and rescue teams operate in challenging conditions.
The PSA Airlines jet, operating under American Airlines flight 5342, was carrying 64 people, including 60 passengers and four crew members, when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This collision occurred around 21:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The plane had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, and was en route to the nation’s capital.
Details of the crash
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the helicopter, which was on a training flight with three US soldiers aboard, took off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Eyewitness accounts and audio evidence suggest that an air traffic controller warned the helicopter about the incoming plane, but there was no response reported.
The FAA, in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), will investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision. Meanwhile, the nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has temporarily suspended all flights.
Rescue efforts and eyewitness accounts
As search and rescue efforts continue, officials remain focused on the challenging task of locating survivors in the frigid waters. Washington DC Fire and Emergency Services Chief John Donnelly noted, “The challenge is access, there is wind, pieces of ice (on the water). It is dangerous and hard to work in.”
Eyewitnesses have shared alarming accounts of the moments leading up to the crash. Ari Schulman, who was driving on the George Washington Parkway, described seeing the aircraft emit “streams of sparks” as it banked sharply to the right, indicating something was very wrong. Another witness, Jimmy Mazeo, recalled seeing a “white flare” in the sky and noted that the planes appeared to be flying in “irregular patterns” before the crash.
“May God Bless their souls,” President Donald Trump stated in a recent comment on the incident. He expressed gratitude for the work of first responders and acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
Many in the community have expressed their grief, including US Figure Skating, which confirmed that several members related to their organization were aboard the ill-fated flight. The American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, expressed deep sorrow over the collision, a sentiment echoed by various officials, including Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are assessing whether flight paths near the airport will need to be adjusted to ensure safety and prevent future tragedies.