Washington DC Plane Crash Highlights: PM Modi condoles loss of lives in mid-air collision

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that Reagan National Airport will remain closed until at least 5 am on Friday.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom announced that he is on his way to Washington DC, following the collision between a American Airline passenger plane and a US Army helicopter near the capital on Wednesday night.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the events of the night as “absolutely tragic.” In a post on X, he confirmed that search and rescue operations are underway, with the Army and Department of Defense launching an investigation immediately. “Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families,” he added.

A man waiting for his wife at Reagan National Airport shared with a reporter the last text messages he received from her before the plane, carrying 60 people, crashed. The man said his wife had messaged him saying she would be landing in 20 minutes.

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NEW: Man waiting for his wife at Reagan National Airport shows a reporter the final texts with his wife before the plane with 60 on board went down.

The man said his wife texted him that she was landing in 20 minutes.

“I'm just praying that somebody's pulling her out of the… pic.twitter.com/SnEmNtMLKl

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 30, 2025

We are yet to get a confirmation on the number of casualties. There is not update from the authorities yet, but we will keep you posted. As per Reuters latest reports, at least 2 bodies were recovered after the crash. However, as per CBS report, around 18 bodies have been recovered.

Investigators will work to reconstruct the final moments of the aircrafts before their collision, focusing on communications with air traffic control and the passenger jet’s sudden loss of altitude. American Airlines Flight 5342 was approaching Reagan National at around 400 feet and 140 miles per hour when it experienced a rapid descent over the Potomac River, according to radio transponder data. The Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, built in 2004 and manufactured in Canada, can accommodate up to 70 passengers.

According to CBS News, a police official has said that at least 18 bodies have been recovered following the midair collision between a regional passenger jet and a helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport.

The FBI’s Washington field office has announced that it is assisting with the response to the mid-air collision. The agency’s statement urged all direct questions regarding the crash incident to be directed to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Association of Flight Attendants, representing 55,000 flight attendants across 20 airlines, confirmed to BBC that two of its members were aboard the flight that crashed into the Potomac River. The organisation expressed its support for the affected families and crews. They also praised the efforts of first responders working to ensure the safety of anyone still at risk. The association urged the public to keep the families in their thoughts and to remain focused on the ongoing rescue efforts.

Emergency alerts are being flashed at the baggage claim area of Ronald Reagan National Airport following the collision between American Eagle flight 5342 and a helicopter during its approach to the airport, which resulted in the crash into the Potomac River on January 29, 2025. (Image: Reuters)

Flights originally scheduled to land at Reagan National Airport are being redirected to Dulles International Airport, located approximately 28 miles away, reported BBC. Additionally, the Washington DC metro system will extend its hours, operating extra trains to accommodate passengers traveling into the city, according to the transit authority’s general manager,

Some eyewitnesses told NBC that the collision looked like a “stream of sparks” trailing behind a plane, comparing it to “a giant Roman candle.” The eyewitness said that he was driving along the George Washington Parkway, which runs near the airport, when he noticed the plane landing. Having seen planes land there many times before, he said everything appeared normal at first. However, as he turned his head and looked back, the plane appeared to have sharply banked to the right, at about 90 degrees.

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland announced that the state is closely monitoring the collision and has deployed divers to assist with the rescue efforts, BBC reported. Maryland, located just across the District of Columbia from Virginia, is actively involved in the response.

A number of fire fighters have arrived at the crash site and are involved in dive operations as search and rescue efforts continue at the Potomac River where the plane crashed into.

A US official confirmed that three Army soldiers were aboard a BlackHawk helicopter involved in the collision with the passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The official, who requested anonymity, stated that the soldiers’ condition was unknown but clarified that no high-ranking officials were on the helicopter, Reuters reported. Another source revealed that the Army’s UH-60 helicopter involved in the crash was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. This information is based on initial reports and could be updated.

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had been briefed on the “tragic accident” involving a plane and a military helicopter that crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. He stated that he was closely monitoring the situation and would share updates as more information becomes available. Trump in his statement thanked the first responders for their “incredible work”.

Emergency vehicles are seen stationed near the crash site after American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with a helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington National Airport, ultimately crashing into the Potomac River outside Washington, DC. (Image: Reuters)

Surveillance footage from a camera at the nearby Kennedy Center captured two sets of lights that appeared to merge into a fireball, suggesting a mid-air collision. The airport confirmed that emergency responders were on-site handling “an aircraft incident on the airfield.” The incident brought to mind the tragic Air Florida crash on January 13, 1982, when a plane crashed into the Potomac River, resulting in 78 deaths. That crash was caused by severe weather conditions.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly took to X and said that she is in close contact with the authorities. ” My thoughts go out to those involved. I will share more information as it becomes available,” she wrote on X.

Stay with us as we bring to you live developments on the same.

In audio recordings from the air traffic control tower shortly after the incident, a controller can be heard asking the helicopter, “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?” referring to the passenger plane. Moments after the collision, another pilot is heard saying, “Tower, did you see that?” The control tower quickly began rerouting other flights away from Reagan Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the midair collision took place at approximately 9 pm EST, when a regional jet en route from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into a military Blackhawk helicopter as it was approaching the runway at the airport.

All flights at the airport near Washington were suspended as law enforcement helicopters from the region flew over the crash site searching for survivors, reported AP. Rescue teams deployed inflatable boats into the Potomac River from a launch point along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport.

According to a Reuters report, at least two bodies have been recovered from the scene. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took to X (formerly Twitter) and said that the Department of Defense is monitoring further developments at the crash site.

According to a news alert by Reuters, no senior army officials were on board the army blackhawk helicopter that collided with the American passenger plane.

An American Airlines passenger plane and a Army helicopter collided midair on Thursday, causing both aircraft to crash into the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The plane was carrying 64 people, including both passengers and crew members.

Stay with us for further updates on the crash.