Washington: A passenger aircraft carrying 64 people collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, DC, as it approached the runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and defence officials.
There are no confirmed casualties at this time, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. A massive emergency response is underway in DC’s Potomac River, where the passenger plane and helicopter collided, the CNN reported.
According to a US defence official, the plane, American Airlines Flight 5342 with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, had departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the airline. Three soldiers were on board the helicopter that came out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
All takeoffs and landings have been halted at Reagan National Airport.
American Airlines issued a hotline for family members and loved ones of those onboard the Flight 5342, collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, the report said.
“If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215,” the airline said in a statement.
“Those calling from outside the U.S. can visit news.aa.com for additional phone numbers. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly,” it added.
The airline said it will continue to release information about the incident as it becomes available.
Emergency vehicles could be seen rushing to the scene of the aircraft collision in Washington, DC on Wednesday night.
Sarah Fishel, who lives in a condo close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, said she heard loud sirens and began recording around 9:10 p.m. ET. “I ran to the roof and immediately saw the response,” she told CNN.
US President Donald Trump said he was “fully briefed” on the collision between a passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night, the report said.
Trump added that he was “monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
“May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders,” Trump’s statement read.
Fatalities have been confirmed and rescuers have not yet pulled any survivors from the water, a law enforcement source says. The rescue efforts continue in the Washington, DC, area following the crash.
The source says the plane is in pieces in the water and the helicopter is in the water nearby.
The Association of Flight Attendants, a union representing 55,000 flight attendants, said in a statement that two of its members were on board flight 5342.
“Our union is responding to the tragic midair collision of PSA Flight 5342 with a military helicopter. Two AFA Flight Attendants were crewing the flight,” the statement read.
“While we mobilize to support the families and crews directly affected by this incident, we are also sending strength to all first responders doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety.”
Dozens of firefighters are engaged in dive operations at the site of the plane crash in the Potomac River, according to a union official.
“Search and rescue efforts are underway in the Potomac River,” Edward Kelly, the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters said on X.
“They’re doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety. Our prayers are with everyone affected,” he said.
UNI
