WASHINGTON — A regional American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River, on Wednesday night, January 29, 2025.
Officials said Thursday that 30 bodies have been recovered, with no survivors expected.
The American Airlines flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was en route from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard, according to the FAA. The Black Hawk, assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was conducting a training exercise with three soldiers onboard.
Tenth District Volunteer Fire Department Airboat 8 and Fireboat 8 responded mutual aid to assist with the recovery efforts. The units were committed most of the night assisting with the multi-jurisdictional response.
The midair crash occurred as the Bombardier CRJ700 was on approach to the Reagan National Airport, the FAA said. Weather conditions at the time were clear, with strong gusts reported.
President Trump addressed the incident on Truth Social, questioning why the helicopter did not take evasive action and criticizing air traffic control’s handling of the situation.
Army and federal investigators are working to determine the cause of the collision.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Terrible news. Hope they get to the bottom of the communications failure quickly.
Roads are traffic jammed, ships hitting bridges, and now aircraft are crashing into each other