American Airlines jet collides with military Blackhawk helicopter near Washington DC area

Reuters

An American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River after a midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, officials said.

The crash involved American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Army.

American Airlines confirmed that 64 people were on board the jet, including 60 passengers and four crew members, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. The Washington Post reported that multiple bodies had been recovered from the river, with no survivors found so far.

A security camera from the Kennedy Center captured footage of an explosion midair around 9:47 p.m. before a burning aircraft plunged into the water. Emergency response teams, including police, fire, and Coast Guard units, launched a large-scale search and rescue operation along the Potomac.

President Donald Trump said he had been fully briefed on the "terrible accident" and praised first responders. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident.

This marks the first fatal U.S. passenger airline crash since 2009 and comes amid growing concerns over aviation safety following a series of near-miss incidents in recent years.

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