A commercial plane has reportedly crashed in the Potomac River in Washington DC, and it’s said to be a mass casualty event.
Four survivors so far have been rescued but reports of the death toll are more grim. See the updates below:
Confirmed small aircraft down in Potomac River vicinity Reagan National Airport. Fireboats on scene. #DCsBravest
— DC Fire and EMS Department (@dcfireems) January 30, 2025
BREAKING UPDATE: MULTIPLE RESCUES BEING MADR IN POTOMAC RIVER: Multiple jurisdictions are making rescues in the Potomac River. This is reported to be a commercial plane that has went down in the river. This will be a MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT. Stay tuned for more information.
— REAL-TIME (@Newsguy41) January 30, 2025
🚨 #BREAKING: A plane has crashed into a helicopter while landing at Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC
Fatalities have been reported, a MASSIVE search & rescue operation is happening in the Potomac River
Witnesses reported seeing a “massive crash” and hearing a loud… pic.twitter.com/GtSiWjUWn0
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 30, 2025
Some on X are reporting that a plane collided with a helicopter while trying to land. I’ll get you more as soon as I have it…
[UPDATE 1]
All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update.
— Reagan Airport (@Reagan_Airport) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 2]
Police scanner says they are setting up a “casualty collection area” after an incident at DCA airport.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 3]
A webcam at the Kennedy Center caught the explosion, via Alejando Alvarez. It appears that you can see the helicopter fly into the plane:
[UPDATE 4]
I’ve seen multiple reports now saying this was an American Airlines flight and it could have been carrying 60 people…
BREAKING: Several fire boats are doing a massive search and rescue in Potomac River, next to Reagen National Airport, where reportedly an American Airlines flight crashed into a helicopter mid-air. An estimate of 60 people were onboard.
— Max Velocity (@MaxVelocityWX) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 5]
This is looking really bad…
I'm listening to https://t.co/gM5OTab269
60 souls on board, mass casualty event.
A helicopter also went down.
Temp morgue being set up in boathouse.
Bodies still trapped in airframe
Divers & multiple boats doing grid search.
— XPI31415 (@XPI31415) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 6]
🚨 FAA: Jet collided in midair with Blackhawk helicopter – Fox
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 7]
White House press secretary says Trump briefed, a military helicopter collided with regional jet:
🚨 BREAKING: President Donald Trump briefed on Potomac air crash
WHITE HOUSE Press Sec. Leavitt confirms: "A military helicopter collided with a regional jet at DCA airport." pic.twitter.com/jJKEkAFHSw
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 30, 2025
Fox is also reporting that it was American Airlines flight 5342 and it was a commuter jet.
[UPDATE 8]
American Airlines confirms…
We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 9]
The FAA releases a statement saying the crash involved a Bombadier CRJ700 regional jet and a Sirkoski H-60 Helicopter:
BREAKING: The FAA has released a statement on the crash at DCA. pic.twitter.com/kjWGpKcVX9
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 10]
Several people being reported dead by WLWT:
At Reagan National Airport in the Washington DC area… A commuter jet with an estimated 70 people on board has been hit mid air by a helicopter… Crashing down into the Potomac river. Several people are dead… search and rescue crews working feverishly. Update at 11 on @WLWT
— MikeDardisWLWT (@MikeDardisWLWT) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 11]
Below is a photo of the kind of jet in question. Clearly not a small plane. They say it could hold 70 people…
FILE PHOTO: PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, chartered by American Airlines, involved in Wednesday's crash in D.C.
Pray for the souls onboard. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/q35ak2naVk
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 12]
Police scanner says 8 dead so far…
Police scanner 10:04 pm on DCA crash: Eight victims have been pulled from the river by boat.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 30, 2025
🚨 UPDATE: Emergency services report that the crashed plane near D.C. airport carried 64 people, including four crew members. The number of passengers on the Blackhawk remains unknown.
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 13]
Helicopter was flown by Army….
WASHINGTON (AP) — Helicopter that collided with passenger jet near Reagan Washington National Airport was flown by Army, AP source says.
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 30, 2025
Per @JenGriffinFNC Army official says it was an Army Blackhawk that collided with the American Airlines plane arriving at DCA. No additional detail.
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 14]
It’s being reported that there are four survivors…
Breaking News: Rescue Crews have found four survivors from the Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines plane that collided near Reagan National airport. Searchers are also looking for survivors in the Potomac river. Source: NBC 4 DC
–#BreakingNews #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/srwbyrMl5T— Rebecca Aguilar (on Blue Sky & LinkedIn) (@RebeccaAguilar) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 15]
🚨 #BREAKING – AUDIO TRANSCRIPT from air traffic control in D.C.
TRAFFIC CONTROL, to the helicopter: "Do you have the CRJ in sight? [the passenger aircraft]"
FOX: "It appears there was concern whether the Black Hawk helicopter had seen this plane on final approach [to the… pic.twitter.com/wNxlS3jKco
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 16]
New Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on site…
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in yesterday, is on the scene near the DCA crash
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 30, 2025
I am on site at the FAA HQ and closely monitoring the situation. https://t.co/ztf2Dpqljq
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 17]
Three soldiers were abord the Blackhawk…
No senior officials onboard the Blackhawk helicopter that crashed into American Airlines flight near Reagan National Airport: U.S. Army official. 3 Soldiers were onboard the Blackhawk, according to Army.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 18]
DCA crash police scanner 10:40 pm: “We’re going to need to get the morgue up and running.”
Police referring to the mobile morgue at the mass casualty collection center
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 19]
President Trump releases statement: “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 20]
CNN correspondent explains why the Army helicopte likely didn’t see the aircraft…
Great explanation here: pic.twitter.com/AXo1yBaybL
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 21]
The Jet split in two and the helicopter wreckage is so unstable in the water that divers can’t access it yet:
“NBC Washington’s Mark Segraves, citing two sources, said the crash scene on the Potomac is closer toward the shore of Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and the American Airlines plane “split in two and is in about 7 feet of water…[T]he helicopter is upside down and is not stable, and it is bobbing up and down. Sometimes it’s underwater, sometimes it’s above, and divers have not been able to make entry into the helicopter yet because of the lack of stability there.””
#BREAKING at 1048 pm Eastern: NBC Washington's Mark Segraves, citing two sources, said the crash scene on the Potomac is closer toward the shore of Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and the American Airlines plane "split in two and is in about 7 feet of water…[T]he helicopter is… pic.twitter.com/rBZ8m7I0hQ
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 22]
Helicopter was on a training mission…
The Army Black Hawk that collided with a passenger plane was on a training flight at the time of the incident, per @NatashaBertrand and @OrenCNN.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 30, 2025
[UPDATE 23]
BREAKING: At least 19 bodies pulled from site of D.C. plane crash; search & rescue continues- scanner
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 30, 2025