AN American Airlines flight has collided mid-air with a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC, with both crashing into the Potomac River.
The jet, which was coming from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were in the helicopter.
The bodies of 27 people have so far been recovered from the jet and another has been recovered from the helicopter.
Crews have continued searching for other casualties but it is not believed there are any other survivors, which would make it the deadliest US air crash in nearly 24 years.
It has been confirmed by the US transportation secretary that the plane was found inverted and in three pieces.
All take-offs and landings from Ronald Regan National Airport were halted as helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors.
President Donald Trump was briefed, his press secretary said, and Vice President JD Vance encouraged followers on the social media platform X to “say a prayer for everyone involved”.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the mid-air collision occurred around 9pm local time when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into a military Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to the airport runway.
In audio from the air traffic control tower around the time of the crash, a controller is heard asking the helicopter: “PAT25 do you have the CRJ in sight,” in reference to the passenger aircraft.
“Tower did you see that?” another pilot is heard calling seconds after the apparent collision.
In a post on social media, American Airlines said it was aware of reports that one of its flights was involved in the incident and said it would provide more information once available.
Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Centre shows two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.
In a statement late on Wednesday, Trump thanked first responders for their “incredible work,” noting that he was “monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise”.
There are currently about 300 responders working on the rescue operation.
The Potomac River is about eight feet deep where the aircraft crashed after their collision.
Asked if there are any survivors, Washington Fire and EMS chief John A Donnelly responded at a press conference: “We don’t know yet. But we’re working.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the airport would be closed until at least 5am on Friday.
