A multi-agency search and rescue operation is underway in the Potomac River following a midair collision
Emergency vehicles stage at Reagan National Airport, Jan. 29, 2025 © AP / Kevin Wolf
A civilian airliner carrying 60 passengers and four crewmembers collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at around 9 pm local time. Flight 5342, operated by PSA – a subsidiary of American Airlines – was on its final approach to Runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at the time of the disaster, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The US Army’s Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter had a crew of three and was not carrying any VIPs, according to US defense officials. The exact number of fatalities remains unclear as emergency personnel from multiple agencies continue the search for possible survivors.
The FAA announced that Reagan Washington National Airport was temporarily shut down following the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash.
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30 January 2025
08:11 GMT
CNN reporter Gabe Cohen, working at the scene, described emergency crews’ mood as somber, noting that rescue efforts were shifting toward recovery.
“I spoke with a law enforcement source just a few minutes ago,” Cohen said. “He told me that there’s a really somber mood, even at the rescue scene. It feels – certainly not officially – but that we’re sort of moving from that ‘search-and-rescue operation’ into a recovery effort. They have pulled several bodies out. There are fatalities confirmed at the scene. And now we’re just waiting for answers.” - 07:48 GMT
Search-and-rescue crews have recovered some bodies from the crash, NBC reported, citing two sources. Officials have not yet confirmed the number of casualties.
Survivors are unlikely, Tim Atkinson, a former senior inspector for the UK Airline Accident Investigation Branch, told Sky News. According to him, the crash likely exceeded human tolerance levels.
“The moment of collision, in which clearly a lot of energy is expended from the visuals there… and, unfortunately, the first element required for survivable is that the actual ultimate forces experienced by those on board an aircraft or in a vehicle, have to be within human tolerance,” Atkinson said.
“And my suspicion is very strongly that, in the impact with the water, the forces there were simply beyond human tolerance,” he added.
- 07:37 GMT
World champions in figure skating from Russia were on board the crashed plane, TASS news agency reported, citing an unnamed source.
Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, a married couple, won the pair event in 1994.
Source: Social media
FILE PHOTO © Sputnik / Vladimir Rodionov
- 07:23 GMT
Several US figure skaters and coaches were reportedly on board the plane that crashed while traveling from Wichita to Washington, DC, according to the Kansas City Star, which cited US pair skater Luke Wang.
The skaters were returning from the US Figure Skating Championships, which took place in Wichita on January 20-26, with some athletes remaining in the city until January 28.
Several Russian figure skaters and former Russian coaches were also believed to be on board, according to sports agent Ari Zakaryan, who spoke to Russian broadcaster Match TV.
Zakaryan confirmed that Russian nationals were among the passengers but refrained from naming individuals, stating, “We are still finding out, I can’t say much. But we know our people were there. You’ll see everything soon.”
- 07:05 GMT
US officials did not confirm any deaths while speaking to reporters at Reagan National Airport, according to AFP.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has declined to say whether any bodies were recovered, or comment on the submerged aircraft’s condition.
When asked about survivors, Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly said: “We don’t know yet. But we’re working.”
Kansas Senator Jerry Moran called the crash “a very personal circumstance” for Kansans, saying many will know those on board and their families.
He pledged support for the rescue effort and vowed to keep Congress engaged in the investigation.
- 06:47 GMT
The investigation into the crash is expected to take longer, with search-and-rescue efforts continuing under “dangerous” conditions in the water, DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. told reporters.
“The water is dark, it is murky, and that is a very tough condition for them to dive in,” he said, adding that the recovery operation could take several days.
“If you can imagine, the river is a large black spot at night with no lights on it, except for a few buoy lights,” Donnelly stated, describing the scene at night.
© RT
- 06:25 GMT
About 300 responders are conducting a search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River, DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. has said at a press conference at Reagan National Airport.
The first units arrived at 8:58pm local time after an alert was issued at 8:48pm, finding an aircraft in the water and beginning rescue efforts, according to Donnelly. “The conditions out there are extremely rough,” Donnelly said, adding that it is cold and windy.
- 06:23 GMT
New details have emerged about the final moments before the crash. Minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the plane if it could use a shorter runway at Reagan National, and the pilots agreed, according to the AP. Flight tracking shows the jet adjusting its approach.
Less than 30 seconds before impact, a controller asked the US military helicopter if it saw the plane. Moments later, the controller instructed: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds later, they collided. - 05:44 GMT
US President Donald Trump has reacted to the tragic midair collision over the Potomac River on his social media platform Truth Social, questioning how the accident occurred on a “CLEAR NIGHT.”
“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,” he wrote.
Trump has criticized air traffic control, asking, “Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane?” Calling it a preventable disaster, he concluded, “NOT GOOD!!!”
- 05:36 GMT
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “sorrow” for the victims of the crash as he prepared to travel to Washington, DC. “This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines,” he said, emphasizing support for passengers, crew, and families.
He confirmed that American is working with authorities and has a “go team” en route. “Our cooperation is without pause,” Isom stated, adding that efforts remain focused on assisting those affected by the tragedy.
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