American Airlines plane crash LIVE: Mass fatalities as aircraft crashes into Washington DC river after colliding with Black Hawk helicopter
American Airlines plane crash LIVE: Mass fatalities as aircraft crashes into Washington DC river after colliding with Black Hawk helicopter
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A plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided mid-air with a US Army helicopter over Washington DC, causing a large number of fatalities. The American Airlines plane from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into the Potomac River following the collision as it approached Reagan Washington National Airport around 9pm local time on Wednesday (2am Thursday GMT).
Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said. CBS News is reporting that at least 18 bodies have been recovered by emergency services, with no survivors so far found. President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident”. Referring to the passengers, he added: “May God Bless their souls.”.
![[Emergency Crews Respond To Aircraft Crash Near Reagan National Airport]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2025/01/30/7/36/Emergency-Crews-Respond-To-Aircraft-Crash-Near-Reagan-National-Airport-8wlvw5bh.jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=640)
Follow the latest updates below. Washington, DC, fire chief John Donnelly said at the news conference that at least 300 first responders were continuing to work on the "highly complex" rescue operation. "Conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders," Donnelly said. "It's cold. They're dealing with windy conditions.".
Asked by reporters whether there were any survivors, he responded that "we don't know yet.". Inflatable boats have been launched into the Potomac River as part of the rescue operation. Multiple helicopters, from both the police and army, have been seen flying overhead.
![[BESTPIX - Emergency Crews Respond To Aircraft Crash Near Reagan National Airport]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2025/01/30/6/16/BESTPIX-Emergency-Crews-Respond-To-Aircraft-Crash-Near-Reagan-National-Airport-fxq42tlp.jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=640)
Relatives gathered at the airport said they were getting little to no information from officials about the incident, adding that they were hearing more about the incident from news reports. One woman told an airport official, "I don't know if she got on there or not," in apparent reference to a passenger on the crashed jet.
