Closing summary
We are closing this blog now, but you can continue to follow our live coverage of the fatal aviation collision in Washington DC here.
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24 hours before a deadly collision, another plane narrowly avoided a helicopter
More from the Associated Press on an incident that happened at Regan Airport 24 hours before Wednesday night’s deadly crash:
Just over 24 hours before Wednesday’s fatal midair collision, a different regional jet executed a go-around maneuver when descending to land at Reagan Airport due to a military helicopter in the same area.
Flight tracking sites and air traffic control logs show the Embraer E-175 was cleared to land at the airport’s Runway 19 and advised about a helicopter in its vicinity. It executed a go-around after its automated collision avoidance system ordered what is known as a ‘resolution advisory’ to avoid nearby traffic, which put the aircraft out of proper alignment for landing. It landed safely minutes later.
The military helicopter, callsign PAT1, was advised of the descending airplane. Flight tracking sites show the plane flew roughly 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the helicopter, a normally acceptable separation.
Airline pilots are trained to respond immediately to resolution advisories, which are designed to avoid a potential mishap, but occasionally sound alarms for traffic that does not pose an immediate threat to safety.
After the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, the agency has said it will have a preliminary report within 30 days.
Radio communications showed that air traffic controllers alerted the helicopter about the approaching jet and ordered it to change course, according to reporting by Reuters news agency.
One controller rather than two was handling local plane and helicopter traffic on Wednesday night at Reagan National, a situation deemed “not normal” but considered adequate for lower volumes of traffic, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The decision to combine duties in the evening is not uncommon, the source said. The New York Times first reported the “not normal” designation. A shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States in recent years has spurred safety concerns.
Two Chinese citizens were among the victims of a midair crash in Washington between a US commercial airliner with 64 people on board and a military helicopter, state media reported Friday citing the Chinese embassy, Agence France-Presse reports.
“Following preliminary enquiries” the embassy said the Chinese citizens were “among the victims in the mid-air collision of a passenger plane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night”, Xinhua news agency said.
Senator Maria Cantwell said that the dead on the plane also included citizens from Russia, the Philippines and Germany.
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Interim summary
Many questions remain in the investigation of what caused the collision of a commercial airline from Kansas and an army helicopter near Washington’s Reagan airport on Wednesday night. Here’s a summary of recent developments:
With the 67 people aboard both the American Airlines flight and the army Black Hawk helicopter all presumed dead, the collision is being called “the deadliest aviation disaster” in the US since 2001. At least 28 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River, with recovery operations ongoing.
The flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been recovered from the commercial airline flight, and will provide key evidence about what happened. The National Transportation Safety Board said earlier on Thursday that it was too soon to determine the causes of the disaster and pledged to release a preliminary report within 30 days.
Early scrutiny focused on an initial Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report on the incident which called the staffing levels at a DC air control tower “not normal,” since one controller was reportedly handling both helicopters and planes.
But the Associated Press and CNN have both reported that sources told them this level of staffing was, in fact, “normal” or “not uncommon.” The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers and identified fatigue as a factor that might lead to mistakes, the Associated Press noted.
A day before Wednesday night’s midair collision near Reagan airport, a different jet there had to abort its landing and make a second approach after a helicopter appeared near its flight path, the Washington Post reported.
The US army saw an increase in very serious aviation incidents during the last fiscal year, with 15 flight and two ground incidents that resulted in deaths of service members, destruction of aircraft, or more than $2.5m in damage to the airframe, the Associated Press reported,
Donald Trump and members of his administration claimed, without evidence, that diversity efforts at the FAA under the Biden and Obama administration could be to blame for the crash, with Trump specifically claiming that the FAA had been accused of being “too white,” and suggesting efforts to hire Americans with disabilities were irresponsible.
Not stopping with rhetoric, Tump signed an executive order to stop “woke policies” in federal aviation.
The Trump administration’s choice to draw an unfounded connection between a deadly tragedy and diversity initiatives at a press conference sparked broad condemnation from Democratic politicians, who called the comments “disgusting,” “despicable,” and “racist,” with Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries saying that Trump was “blaming women and people of color for the deadly plane crash.”
With multiple figure skaters and their families among those killed in the collision, members of the figure skating community around the world mourned those lost.
NTSB says investigators have recovered cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the airplane involved in Wednesday night’s midair collision with an army helicopter near Reagan airport in Washington DC, Reuters reports.
The recorders are now at the NTSB’s labs for evaluation.
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“You want me to go swimming?” Trump asks at press conference on tragic crash.
While Donald Trump’s behavior at a press conference responding to the deadliest air disaster in a generation might not be surprising, it was still “breathtaking in its audacity”, as one observer put it.
While most of the attention was focused on the administration’s choice to, without evidence, blame the plane crash on federal government diversity programs, multiple network journalists have also been highlighting another exchange today.
Trump responded to a journalist’s question about whether he was going to visit the scene of the plane crash with this comment: “What’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?” as longtime White House reporter Jonathan Lemire, among others, noted.
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‘Black box’ from flight AA5442 has been recovered, senator’s office tells CNN
A transportation reporter for CNN has reported that “one of the ‘black box’ recorders from flight #AA5342 has been recovered from the Potomac River,” according to Senator Maria Cantwell’s office. This will be a key piece of evidence in understanding what happened on the flight.
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Reagan Airport is a key commuter hub for members of Congress.
The worst US aviation disaster since 2001 happened at a Washington airport that is a frequent flyer hub for members of Congress, Politco reports, noting the airport “is a 10-minute drive from Capitol Hill”.
Even before the crash, Congress was deeply involved in the management of the airport, with members of Congress even lobbying for convenient direct flights to their home districts, “as Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) did for the inbound-from-Wichita jet that crashed into an Army helicopter”, Politco reports.
That’s likely to mean plenty more Congressional oversight and involvement in the aftermath of the tragedy, the Washington outlet notes.
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Previous flight at Reagan airport reportedly had to abort landing because of helicopter
Only one day before Wednesday night’s midair collision near Reagan airport, “another jet trying to land there had to make a second approach after a helicopter appeared near its flight path, according to an audio recording from air traffic control,” the Washington Post reports.
That flight, identified as Republic Airways Flight 4514, did eventually land safely, the Post reports.
On X, Washington Post investigative reporter Carol Leonig called this news important “for revealing just how dicey the DCA airways are”.
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‘Let the investigation take its course,’ airline pilot union head urges
As Donald Trump is suggesting, without evidence, that efforts to improve diversity in the federal government led to a deadly plane crash, the head of a major airline pilots’ union is asking the public to focus on “fact gathering”.
The collision of an army Black Hawk helicoper with a commercial airline last night is “ the first major fatal passenger accident of a US carrier that we have faced in the United States in well over a decade,” Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), said in a statement.
“A lot of details and speculation will come out in response to this tragedy, but we must remember to let the investigation run its course,” Ambrosi said.
“Extra pressure will be on each of us as our passengers – and our fellow crewmembers – have this accident on their minds. However, as we do day in and day out, ALPA pilots will continue to lead the way with professionalism and an overarching commitment to safety.”
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Was staffing at the air traffic control tower ‘not normal’, or actually normal?
As the investigation into last night’s plane crash at Reagan airport continues, one of the biggest pieces of information so far is an initial Federal Aviation Administration report, obtained by the New York Times, the Associated Press and others, that called the staffing levels “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic”.
According to the report, one air traffic controller was responsible for coordinating helicopter traffic and arriving and departing planes when the collision happened, the Associated Press reported, and that configuration was described as “not normal”.
But the Associated Press has a new update that may cast that initial assessment into question. A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that staffing at the air traffic control tower on Wednesday night was, in fact, at a normal level. The positions are regularly combined when controllers need to step away from the console for breaks or are in the process of a shift change, or air traffic is slow, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal procedures.
Receiving partial and sometimes conflicting information in the early hours of a major crisis like this is normal; we’ll continue to update you as we get more information.
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FAA has long struggled with air traffic controller shortages
Amid questions over whether understaffing or fatigue of air traffic controllers contributed to yesterday’s horrific plane crash over Washington DC, the Associated Press reports that these are longstanding problems:
The Federal Aviation Administration has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers and identified fatigue as a factor that might lead to mistakes.
After a number of highly publicized close calls between planes that were following orders from control towers, the FAA said last summer that it would increase the minimum time controllers get between shifts starting this year. An agreement between the agency and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association called for 10 hours off between shifts, 12 hours off before and after a midnight shift, and a limit on consecutive overtime assignments.
Although then-FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in September that the agency had met its 2024 goal of hiring 1,800 controllers, airline executives said they expected the problem to persist.
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Congressional Asian Pacific American caucus calls Trump comments ‘despicable’
Six leaders of the Congressional Asian Pacific American caucus also have responded to the president’s comments on an airplane crash and diversity initiatives:
President Trump has made baseless claims that seek to blame people of color for this horrific tragedy. It is despicable. We don’t need racist lies, we need answers, and a leader who will put aside partisan politics to unite our country.
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Hakeem Jeffries slams Trump for ‘blaming women and people of color’ for crash
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House minority leader, has posted a video on social media criticizing Trump for using a deadly tragedy to “peddle lies, conspiracy theories, and attack people of color and women without any basis whatsoever. Have you no decency? Have you no respect for the families whose lives have been turned upside down?”
“The President and extreme MAGA Republicans are blaming women and people of color for the deadly plane crash,” Jeffries wrote on X, referencing Trump and other Republicans’ choice to blame yesterday’s plane crash on federal diversity initiatives under Biden and Obama.
Jeffries’ video was made in California, where congressional Democrats are visiting Altadena, a town with a historic Black community that was devastated by the Eaton fire.
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What exactly did Trump say about DEI and the plane crash in Washington DC?
Lawmakers and advocates continue to denounce the president for choosing, without any evidence, to blame a deadly plane crash that killed 67 people on the Biden administration’s support for diversity initiatives within the federal government.
You can read my colleague Martin Pengelly’s full story here, and the Associated Press has key excerpts from Trump’s combative press conference with journalists. Some key takeaways:
During the Obama administration, Trump claimed at today’s press conference, “A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was too white, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately,” NBC News reported.
As well as suggesting that efforts to encourage racial diversity at the FAA were to blame, Trump also focused on the idea that efforts to hire Americans with disabilities was also a problem, saying, “The FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. That is amazing.” (A journalist attempted to factcheck that claim in real time.)
Trump repeatedly emphasized that air traffic controllers needed to be “psychologically superior”, saying: “Certainly for an air traffic controller, we want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest. We want somebody that’s psychologically superior. And that’s what we’re going to have.” He said: “Biden went by a standard that seeks the exact opposite.”
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'Disgusting … disgraceful … racist': Congressional Black Caucus on Trump’s comments
New York representative Yvette Clarke, the chair of the Congressional Black caucus, released a statement in response to Donald Trump’s comments blaming “diversity, equity and inclusion” efforts for yesterday’s deadly plane crash:
[T]he opportunity to fully focus our sympathies on those who are in mourning and who may not have even retrieved their dearly departed was marred by a truly disgusting and disgraceful display of racist political prognostication. President Trump, without evidence or regard for the gravity and solemnity of this incident in which American lives were lost, held a press conference to falsely blame the diversity initiatives of past administrations for the cause of this incident. Not only are the President’s claims untrue, they also speak to the Republican Party’s desire to divide us as a country.
To be clear, diversity, equity, and inclusion are American values. Diversity policies work to benefit all Americans who have traditionally been kept out of opportunities, including white women, veterans, and aging Americans, not just the Black and minority communities that Trump and Republicans want to scapegoat and villainize for political gain. We are not going back!”
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The US army has seen an increase in serious aviation incidents
In fiscal year 2024, the army saw 15 flight and two ground incidents that were categorized as very serious, according to safety data obtained by the Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act and a January 2025 Army aviation safety report.
What the army calls “Class A incidents” are any aviation accident that results in the destruction of the aircraft, deaths of service members or more than $2.5m in damage to the airframe, the Associated Press reported.
In a briefing with Pentagon reporters Thursday, army aviation chief of staff Jonathan Koziol said the spike in incidents last year had prompted the army to do a safety standdown, in which units pause flight operations to evaluate safety procedures “to not allow these types of incidents to happen”, the Associated Press reported.
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Repeating unverified claims, Trump signs order rolling back diversity initiatives
Donald Trump said his new presidential memorandum on aviation safety will undo “damage” done to related federal agencies by the diversity initiatives under the Biden administration, the Associated Press reported:
The president singled out policies meant to promote diversity and inclusion by the Biden White House and of the administrations of other Democrats, saying, “What they’ve done is disgraceful.”
Signing the memorandum in the Oval Office, Trump repeated – without evidence – his assertions at a press conference today that federal diversity programs contributed to a helicopter and a regional jet colliding near Washington DC. Trump said the memorandum can help ensure that “we have very strong people running” key aviation agencies.
Selina Wang of ABC News reported that the memorandum ordered “an immediate assessment of aviation safety” and also “an elevation of ‘competence’ over ‘DEI.’”
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The Reagan airport crash was the first major air disaster in the US since 2009.
Addressing reporters, Donald Trump blamed the crash on his political enemies, and on diversity, equity and inclusion policies at the FAA.
Chris Murphy, the Democratic senator from Connecticut, called those remarks “disgusting”.
Saying it would take time to find out why the crash happened, Murphy added: “There are some true things: President Trump forced out of office the administrator of the FAA. He’s been waging a regular assault on public employees since he came into office. He forced the entire aviation security [advisory committee] to step down … We don’t know whether those things had anything to do with this crash, but we should take the time to get to the facts.”
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Questions swirled in Washington on Thursday as the Federal Aviation Administration began its investigation of the Reagan airport crash without a permanent leader – its former chief resigned 10 days ago, after Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO and close adviser to Donald Trump, called for him to quit.
Michael Whitaker, a 30-year aviation industry veteran, was unanimously confirmed as FAA administrator by the Senate in October 2023. He resigned last Monday, the day Trump was inaugurated as president.
On Wednesday night, a military Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet. On Thursday, as bodies were removed from the Potomac River, officials said all 67 people who had been on board the two aircraft were dead.
Upon Sean Duffy, Trump’s new secretary of transportation, being asked: “Is there an acting FAA director?”, he walked away from reporters. Trump named Chris Rocheleau, who had a long career with the FAA after joining it in 1996, as acting FAA administrator until a permanent choice is confirmed by the Senate.
The National Business Aviation Association, which Rocheleau led before returning to the FAA, hailed “an outstanding leader who will be good for the FAA, good for aviation and good for the country, especially at this challenging time”.
Rocheleau was reported to have been back at the FAA last week. But according to Reuters, “the FAA for 10 days has declined to say who was running the agency on an acting basis”.
On Thursday, Musk’s clashes with the FAA and Whitaker were back in the headlines. Musk’s anger grew from commercial interests including competition with Boeing for government contracts. In 2022, the FAA fined Starlink, a SpaceX subsidiary, for violations of safety protocols. Musk also said the agency needed “radical reform” and complained that it was “harassing SpaceX”.
In September 2024, Whitaker proposed fines of more than $600,000 for SpaceX, over alleged violations of its government license with two rocket launches. Musk, the world’s richest person, worth more than $400bn, said: “He needs to resign.”
Whitaker might have agreed with Musk about the need for FAA reform, as he confronted challenges including run-down facilities and staff shortages contributing to a morale crisis among air traffic controllers.
But in December, after Trump defeated Joe Biden, Whitaker said he would quit. He told staff: “As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you to meet our safety mission has never been stronger.”
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Staffing at Reagan airport air traffic control 'not normal' at time of collision - report
Staffing at Ronald Reagan National airport’s air traffic control tower was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic”, according to an internal preliminary FAA safety report about the crash reported by the New York Times.
According to the outlet, the controller who was handling helicopters was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from the tarmacs.
The New York Times reports:
This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other.
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“We have not reviewed any specific reports about the controllers at this time, at least from the leadership team. Our investigators are continuing to pull all that information, their personnel records, their files, where they were at, whether they were fatigued,” NTSB board member J Todd Inman said.
“All that information will be part of that investigative process, but right now, we can’t speculate on anything that may [be] report[ed] in the media until we get the opportunity to validate and understand how it impacts the investigation,” he added.
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Investigators says they haven't recovered black boxes yet
“Our intention is to have a preliminary report within 30 days, and the final report will be issued once we’ve completed all of our fact-finding and investigation,” the NTSB said.
“We have not recovered the flight data recorders yet. We know they’re there. They are underwater. This is not unusual for the NTSB. We have many times recovered flight data recorders underwate.”
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J Todd Inman, a board member of the NTSB, is now speaking at the press conference.
“It is only the NTSB that will provide information related to this investigation, with one exception regarding the fatalities that occurred. That notification will be handled by the DC medical examiner, we will not be discussing fatalities or names that will be handled by them as the proper authority,” he said.
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Jennifer Homendy of the NTSB, which is responsible for investigating civil transport accidents in the US, is now speaking at a press conference about the collision.
“I want to start by expressing our deepest condolences or sympathies on behalf of the entire board for those who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy. Our thoughts, our prayers are with you, entire communities were affected, and we are thinking of you,” she said.
She added: “We are not going to get into specific facts – we are going to get into our investigative process. This is a whole-of-government process.”
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The International Skating Union president Jae Youl Kim has released the following statement on the plane-helicopter collision, saying:
Today, the world of Figure Skating is heartbroken. We share our deepest, most sincere condolences with the families and friends of all those who lost their lives in this terrible crash. To lose so many members of our community in this way brings sadness beyond words.
The ISU said it was in close contact with US Figure Skating and stands ready to offer its full support during this unimaginably difficult time.
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The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists has released the following statement on the plane-helicopter collision:
As are many in the tight-knit aviation community, PASS is shocked and saddened by the collision over National Airport in Washington, DC last night. It appears there were no survivors among the passengers and crew aboard American Eagle Flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter.
With heartfelt compassion, we mourn the lives of all the souls who perished last night and send our sympathies to their loved ones. PASS extends its deepest condolences to our fellow unions—the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and the Air Line Pilots Association—who lost crew members in the crash. PASS represents many Army veterans at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense.
They are saddened to see three of their own killed during a training exercise.Before anyone speculates on the cause of the crash, the union asks that everyone allow first responders to continue their recovery mission and federal investigators to do their critical jobs. PASS stands ready to assist the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board with their probe into the accident and to continue to improve the world’s largest, safest and most complex air traffic control system.
A number of mainstream media outlets have named the pilot and first officer on the American Eagle flight that crashed as Jonathan Campos and Sam Lilley.
CNN, the Daily Mail, Fox and some local media have identified the two men and the Guardian is working on verifying the names itself.
Campos was just 34 and Lilley was only 28, it was reported.
From video, there appeared to be no discernible deviation in the lines that the Bombardier jet the two men were flying and the Black Hawk helicopter that the army was flying took before the collision and resulting fireball last night.
Lilley’s father Timothy talked of losing his son. “It hurts so bad I cannot even cry myself to sleep,” CNN reported.
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The statement issued by Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, president and secretary-treasurer of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), continues:
“As a nation, we are in mourning. From our capital city to Kansas and beyond, the news of Flight 5342 weighs heavy on the hearts of our citizens. We are forever grateful for the rescue and recovery efforts of emergency responders, including the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) members, who battled the icy waters of the Potomac throughout the night.”
They added: “We are also thinking of our nation’s dedicated air traffic control workforce, represented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), and the essential work they do every day to keep our flying skies safe.
“The days and weeks ahead are unthinkable for the individuals whose lives have been forever altered by this tragedy. Yet, we are a land of survivors. As we wait for the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration to conclude its investigation, we urge everyone to refrain from speculating and to let the facts guide our path forward.”
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The leaders of the transportation labor federation that represents aviation unions and workers across America have released a statement on the crash:
Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, president and secretary-treasurer of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), repsonded to the mid-air collision of American Eagle flight 5342, en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington DC, and a military helicopter on a routine training flight near Ronald Reagan National airport.
The statement said:
“Yesterday, America experienced the darkest day in aviation history since the fatal Colgan Air plane crash in 2009. We are devastated by the loss of all 64 souls onboard Flight 5342, including 60 passengers and 4 crew members, as well as the three service members aboard the Black Hawk helicopter. Our hearts are with the families, friends, and loved ones of all who perished. May their memories be a blessing.”
It continued: “The aviation industry is widely unionized, and a loss of this magnitude is felt across our entire labor family. An injury to one is an injury to all. We extend our deepest condolences to our siblings at the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), whose members were crewing the plane.
“Our sympathies are also with the United Association (UA) Steamfitters Local 602, who had four members on the flight, as well as the global figure skating community, whose skaters, coaches, and loved ones were also among the victims.”
There’s more to come from this statement.
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Here are some more images coming through the newswires of recovery efforts currently under way in the Potomac River:
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The first confirmed victims of the Washington DC plane crash include figure skating champions.
The Guardian’s Anna Betts reports:
Among the earliest confirmed victims of the American Airlines jet carrying 60 people that collided in midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers were two figure skaters returning from the US figure skating championships, along with two of their coaches and two of their parents.
The Skating Club of Boston said in a statement on Thursday that Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, along with parents Jin Han and Christine Lane and coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were aboard the plane on Wednesday night.
The group was returning from the US figure skating national development camp, a program for “young competitive skaters of tomorrow”, following last week’s US championships in Wichita, Kansas.
“Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” said Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and director of the Skating Club of Boston. “Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together six or seven days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family.
“We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
For the full story, click here:
Interim summary
Here’s a look at where things currently stand:
No survivors are expected following the crash and 27 bodies have been recovered from the plane and one from the helicopter by first responders working in what the Washington DC fire and emergency medical services chief, John A Donnelly, called “extremely frigid conditions”. Donnelly said he is confident they will ultimately be able to recover all of the bodies from the crash.
Donald Trump questioned the role of the helicopter pilot, air traffic control, as well as faulted Joe Biden as he injected politics into his crash response. In response to a question on why he believes DEI is responsible, Trump said: “Because I have common sense and unfortunately a lot of people don’t. We want brilliant people doing this. This is a major chess game at the highest level.”
Donald Trump also said that authorities “will be giving [the list of passenger names] very soon”. He added that he will be announcing in a couple of hours the other nationalities who were on board the American Airlines plane.
In a video address on Thursday, defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that the army helicopter crew involved in the plane-helicopter collision was “fairly experienced”. Describing the flight as an “annual proficiency training flight,” Hegseth said: “They did have night vision goggles.”
The Skating Club of Boston has confirmed that several of its members were on board the American Airlines flight when it collided with the Army helicopter. In a statement on Instagram, Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the club said: “Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
The Kremlin also confirmed that the figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were onboard. The pair, who were married, won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and lived in the US.
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy said that the plane crash “was preventable”. Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, Duffy said: “We’re going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point but to back up what the president said and what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
DC fire and EMS chief John A Donnelly says he is confident they will ultimately be able to recover all of the bodies from the crash. He added: “I’m confident that we will do that. It will take us a little bit of time. It may involve some more equipment.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Eisen said: “At this time we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft.” He urged friends and family of those affected to call 1-800-679-8215, which is the helpline the airline has set up.
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Trump turns briefing into rant against diversity policies
Trump continued to turn what might have been a sombre briefing into a baseless rant against DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) despite no evidence of a link with the plane crash.
The president was backed to the hilt by the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, who said “we can only accept the best and the brightest” in positions affecting passenger safety, and the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, who echoed: “The era of DEI is gone at the defence department and we need the best and brightest.”
Then came the vice-president, JD Vance, who claimed “we want to hire the best people” who are “actually competent enough to do the job”.
Trump returned to the lectern to claim that “very powerful tests” for competence in air traffic control were “terminated” by Joe Biden.
CNN’s Kaitlin Collins asked: “Aren’t you getting ahead of the investigation?” Trump replied: “No, I don’t think so at all ... I don’t think that’s a smart question. I’m surprised, coming from you.”
Another reporter asked why Trump believes DEI is responsible. He said: “Because I have common sense and unfortunately a lot of people don’t. We want brilliant people doing this. This is a major chess game at the highest level.”
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Donald Trump said that authorities “will be giving [the list of passenger names] very soon”.
He added that he would announce in a couple of hours the other nationalities who were on board the American Airlines plane.
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Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, is now speaking.
“There was some sort of an elevation issue that we have immediately begun investigating at the DOD and army level, Army CID on the ground,” Hegseth said.
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Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, is now speaking.
He said: “When Americans take off in airplanes, they should expect to land at their destination. That didn’t happen yesterday. That’s not acceptable, and so we will not accept excuses, but will not accept passing the buck.”
“We are going to take responsibility at the Department of Transportation and the FAA to make sure we have the reforms that have been dictated by President Trump in place to make sure that these mistakes do not happen again,” Duffy added.
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Trump blames 'confluence of bad decisions' for collision
“You had a confluence of bad decisions that were made,” Donald Trump said.
“And you have people that lost their lives,” he added.
“One thing we do know, there was a lot of vision, and people should have been able to see that. You know, at what point do you stop at? What do you say, well, that plane’s getting a little bit close?” Trump continued.
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“We had a situation where you had a helicopter that had the ability to stop … You can stop a helicopter very quickly. It had the ability to go up or down, it had the ability to turn. And the turn it made was not the correct turn, obviously, and did somewhat the opposite of what it was told,” Donald Trump said.
“They shouldn’t have been at the same height, because if it was at the same height, you could have gone under it or over it, and nobody realized, or they didn’t say, that it’s at the same height … It could have been 1000ft higher, it could have been 200ft lower, but it was exactly at the same height and somebody should have been able to point that out,” he added.
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Trump says US faces 'hour of anguish' after no survivors in plane crash
Wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt and red tie, Donald Trump entered the White House briefing room at 11.21am, accompanied by defence secretary Pete Hegseth and transportation secretary Sean Duffy, both new to their jobs.
“I’d like to request a moment of silence for the victims and their families please,” Trump said.
After the pause, and in softer, graver tones than usual, he resumed: “I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for her nation.”
Trump provided a description of the incident, noting: “Sadly, there are no survivors.” He described it as “a tragedy of terrible proportions” that has “really shaken a lot of people”.
The president added: “We are all heartbroken, we are all searching for answers. That icy, icy Potomac ... cold water.”
Trump said “we have very strong opinions and ideas” about how the accident happened then reverted to taking political swipes at Barack Obama and Joe Biden over air traffic controller standards. “The word talented. You have to be naturally talented geniuses.”
In a harsher tone than before, he is now complaining about diversity and inclusion in FAA programmes and describing former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg as a “disaster” who has a “good line in bullshit”.
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“We’ll restore faith in American air travel,” Donald Trump said.
“But now we mourn and we pray, and would like to ask all Americans to join me in a moment of silence as we ask God to watch over those who have lost their lives and bring comfort to the loved ones,” he added.
“We did not know what led to this crash but we have some very strong opinions and ideas,” Donald Trump said.
“We have some pretty good ideas … we’ll find out how this disaster occurred and we’ll ensure that nothing like this ever happens again,” he continued.
“The FAA and the NTSB and the US military will be carrying out a systematic and comprehensive investigation,” he added.
Trump says 'our hearts are shattered'
“We can only begin to imagine the agony that you’re all feeling, nothing worse,” Donald Trump said.
“On behalf of the first lady, myself and 340 million Americans, our hearts are shattered alongside yours, and our prayers are with you now and in the days to come,” he added.
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Trump: 'Sadly there are no survivors'
“The work has now shifted to a recovery mission. Sadly, there are no survivors,” Donald Trump said.
“This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history, and a tragedy of terrible proportions,” he added.
Donald Trump is delivering remarks on the Washington DC plane-helicopter collision.
Follow along as we bring you the latest updates.
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth: helicopter crew was 'fairly experienced'
In a video address on Thursday, defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that the army helicopter crew involved in the plane-helicopter collision was “fairly experienced”.
Describing the flight as an “annual proficiency training flight”, Hegseth said:
It was a fairly experienced crew that was doing a required annual night evaluation. They did have night vision goggles.
He added that the collision is being reviewed by an “investigative team from our aviation safety center”.
“We anticipate the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the corridor and at the right altitude at the time of the incident,” Hegseth added.
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Skating Club of Boston identifies atheletes and parents onboard American Airlines flight
The Skating Club of Boston has confirmed that several of its members were onboard the American Airlines flight when it collided with the military helicopter.
In a statement on Instagram, Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the club said:
“Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy. Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.
These athletes, coaches and parents were returning from US Figure Skating’s National Development Camp following last week’s UK Championships in Wichita. This camp is for young competitive skaters of tomorrow with the most promise to be a champion of tomorrow. The club sent 18 athletes to compete at the US Championships. It sent 12 athletes to the National Development Camp.”
The individuals who were part of the club and on the flight have been identified as:
Jinna Han (athlete)
Jin Han (mom of Jinna)
Spencer Lane (athlete)
Christine Lane (mom of Spencer)
Vadim Naumov (coach)
Evgenia Shishkova (coach)
Updated
Donald Trump to give updates on Washington DC plane crash shortly
I’m in a crowded White House press briefing room where Donald Trump is expected to hold a briefing at 11am about last night’s plane crash at Reagan Washington National Airport.
A presidential seal has been added to the briefing room lectern and there are two flags on the podium.
Joe Biden made only one appearance here during his four years in office, whereas Trump regularly held briefings during the Covid-19 pandemic, most notoriously when he speculated on the merits of bleach as a cure.
It’s the first test of Trump’s second term in the role of consoler-in-chief, one that Ronald Reagan played after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, Bill Clinton often performed with aplomb and Biden delivered with characteristic empathy. What could go wrong?
Congress bill added flights to Reagan National airport despite Democratic opposition
In April 2024, Congress announced a $105b FAA reauthorization bill.
The bill raised hiring targets for air traffic control but it also added flights to Reagan National airport, despite opposition from Democratic senators from Maryland and Virginia.
Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland vowed to “continue to fight against this ridiculous and dangerous provision.”
Many of the senators pushing for expanded flights at Washington National – the bill added five incoming and five outgoing flights per day – reportedly wanted more direct routes back to their home states.
“The very title of the ‘Direct Access to the Capital Act’ gives the game away that this bill is written to maximize the personal convenience of a comparatively small number of powerful, well-connected individuals at the expense of safety and efficiency of flights — which should be our top priority,” Don Beyer, a Representative of Virginia, told the Washington Post at the time.
The bill sponsor, Representative Burgess Owens of Utah, defended the bill, saying: “Our effort is not about benefiting one airport, one airline, or any one member of Congress.”
Updated
The Army unit that was involved in the collision between the American Airlines plane and Army helicopter has been put on an operational pause, two US officials told Reuters on Thursday.
According to Reuters, the helicopters from that unit will not be flying for the time being.
The unit is the 12 Aviation Battalion based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
US officials express condolences over plane-helicopter collision
US officials are expressing their condolences over the collision between the American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday evening.
In a post on X, Massachussetts senator Elizabeth Warren said:
“This plane crash is devastating. My heart is with the families who lost loved ones. I’m grateful for the emergency responders’ tireless efforts through the night.”
Alabama’s representative Terri A Sewell said:
“My heart goes out to victims and families affected by last night’s horrific plane and helicopter crash at Reagan National Airport. We are all keeping them close in our prayers.”
Similarly, New Jersey senator Cory Booker said:
“I am shocked and heartbroken by the tragic plane crash at National Airport in D.C. last night. My heart is with the victims and their loved ones.”
Colorado representative Brittany Pettersen said:
“Devastated by the news of the plane crash in Washington, D.C. last night. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy. We are incredibly grateful for the first responders who have been working tirelessly at the scene.”
Here’s a map of the site of the crash site at the Potomac River:
In a statement on X, Tim Kaine said that he was “heartbroken about the aviation disaster near DCA”.
The Virginia senator went on to write that he is “continuing to pray for those impacted and for the first responders. I’m gathering more information from local officials, the FAA, and the Army and will be pushing for a thorough investigation into what happened”.
Updated
Here are some images coming through the newswires of recovery efforts that remain under way in the Potomac River:
Updated
Transportation secretary says plane crash was 'preventable'
Sean Duffy said that the plane crash “was preventable.”
Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, the transportation secretary was asked whether he agreed with Donald Trump’s comments that the crash could have been prevented, to which Duffy responded:
“We’re going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point but to back up what the president said and what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
More than 30 bodies have been recovered so far after the American Airlines jet carrying 64 people – 60 passengers and 4 crew members – collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter that was carrying 3 soldiers on Wednesday night in Washington DC.
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Sean Duffy makes another point, saying that people should not misinterpret that a US army helicopter on a “training flight” means these were pilots with little experience.
The press briefing group has been asked by a journalist, given that the plane was on a “standard” flight path, whether that path will be used again today when the airport reopens. Sean Duffy says: “I don’t have that information quite yet from the FAA, so I don’t want to provide information, or I don’t want to provide an answer or inaccurate information on what routes will be flown out of DC.”
Updated
Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, has said he doesn’t want to be drawn into speculation about causes of the crash, stressing that military helicopters use those flight paths every single day.
“Something went wrong here,” he says, adding: “I look forward to the time and point where we can give you that information, but I don’t want to comment on that right now.”
Updated
DC fire chief says he is confident all bodies will be found
DC fire and EMS chief John A Donnelly says he is confident they will ultimately be able to recover all of the bodies from the crash.
He adds: “I’m confident that we will do that. It will take us a little bit of time. It may involve some more equipment.”
Updated
Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, has been asked if he can reassure travellers. He replies:
Can I guarantee the American flying public that the US has the most safe and secure airspace in the world? And the answer to that is absolutely yes, we do. We have early indicators of what happened here, and I will tell you with complete confidence, we have the safest airspace in the world.
It was noted earlier that this was the first commercial aircraft crash causing fatalities in the US since 2009.
Updated
DC fire and EMS chief John A Donnelly has been asked what the challenges are with the operation at the moment. He said:
The recovery operation goes on. It’s a lot of touch and feel in the different parts of the plane and the helicopter, and the crash area is a little spread out. So we’ve got some work to do.
He says, with the wind, the debris field has spread down to the Wilson Bridge.
Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser states that the National Transportation Safety Board will become the lead agency in the investigation, and she expects it will give a further briefing later today.
They are now taking questions from the media.
Reagan National airport to reopen at 11am local time
Metropolitan Washington airports authority CEO Jack Carter speaks next. He says Reagan national airport will reopen at 11am (4pm GMT).
He offers “thanks to the many, many who are still out there working very, very hard to complete this recovery”.
He says: “A lot of effort was brought to bear but unfortunately we weren’t able to rescue anyone.”
Updated
Helpline set up for loved ones of victims
Amercian Airlines CEO Robert Eisen says: “At this time we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft.”
He urges friends and family of those affected to call 1-800-679-8215, which is the helpline the airline has set up.
He says: “I know that there are many questions at this early stage, I just won’t be able to answer many, but we’ll provide additional information as it comes.”
Updated
Robert Eisen, the CEO of American Airlines, speaks next. He said the crash is “devastating” and adds: “We’re absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members.”
Updated
'No survivors' expected at crash site, with 27 bodies recovered from plane and 1 from helicopter
DC fire and EMS chief John A Donnelly speaks next. He said the crash alert was sounded at 8.48pm last night.
First responders found, he said, “extremely frigid conditions. They found heavy wind. They found ice on the water, and they’ve operated all night in those conditions.”
He is thanking a lengthy list of various agencies and departments who came to assist the operation.
He says: “we don’t believe there are any survivors” and that 27 bodies have been recovered from the plane, and one from the helicopter.
Updated
Sean Duffy continues by saying “safety is our expectation. Everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely.”
He says president Donald Trump and the respective authorities “will not rest until we have answers for the families, and for the flying public.”
Sean Duffy, US secretary of transportation, is speaking now. He praises state and federal authorities for working in unison. He says it was a clear night last night, and the helicopter was in a “standard flight pattern”. He says the aircraft coming into land was also on a standard flight path. He says both aircraft have been located. The plane was found inverted, in three sections, in waist-deep water.
Updated
Muriel Bowser says there is “a profound sense of grief” after the crash, adding that families have been affected “from across our region, as well as in Kansas and across the country”.
Updated
Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser is beginning her update briefing at Reagan national airport.
Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser and other officials to host briefing on Washington DC crash
This graphic illustrates what we know about the flight paths of the American Airlines flight, operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle Flight 5342, and the US army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight that collided at about 9pm local time on Wednesday evening, with both aircraft ending up in the Potomac River. Local media reports that about 30 bodies have been recovered. The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew, and the army helicopter had three service personnel on board.
Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser and other officials are scheduled to hold a news conference at Reagan national airport shortly, and we will bring you the key lines that emerge.
Updated
American Airlines shares are down in pre-market trading, after one of the company’s aircraft collided in mid-air with a US army helicopter near Washington DC.
Shares are down 2.7% in pre-market trading, according to MarketWatch data. So far there is no indication of any fault on the part of the airline, with investigations into the disaster at an early stage.
NBC News has spoken to one witness near the crash, 38-year-old Abadi Ismail, who said he heard a noise which may have been the incident, describing it as “something you don’t hear on a daily basis.”
He told the news network:
I was getting ready to go to bed, laying down. I mean and I hear “Bang! Bang!”
A very unusual sound. Something you don’t hear on a daily basis. It’s more like from a war zone, or something you hear on the movies … action … so that caught my attention.
I looked up at the sky, I looked out the window, and all I could see at that moment was just smoke from the south side of Reagan airport, you know.
And then I started taking videos, because I’ve started to see some activities – that’s like 5-10 minutes after.
At least 30 bodies recovered from water at Washington DC crash site – local media
Emergency crews have recovered more than 30 bodies from the water after the crash near Reagan national airport in Washington DC, two sources familiar with search efforts have told local station NBC4.
An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard while attempting to land at Reagan national airport at about 9pm local time on Wednesday evening.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River in freezing conditions, and 300 first responders have been deployed in a search and rescue endeavour.
There is a media briefing expected at 7.30am local time (12.30 GMT).
Updated
Fatal crashes of commercial aircraft in the US have become a rarity, Associated Press notes. The last was in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. All 45 passengers and the four crew members were killed when a Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane crashed into a house. One person on the ground also was killed.
Here is one of the latest images of first responders carrying out the search and rescue operation on the Potomac River.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred around 9pm when American Airlines flight 5342 – a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas – collided with an army helicopter while on approach to an airport runway. The collision took place in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol.
Sam Jones, Philip Wen and Helen Livingstone have our latest updated report on the crash:
Officials have not given any figure for the number of bodies recovered from the crash site in the Potomac River.
There is a media briefing expected at 7.30am local time (12.30 GMT).
In the meantime, Associated Press reports “there were multiple fatalities, according to a person familiar with the matter, but the precise number of victims was unclear as rescue crews hunted for any survivors.”
The news agency added that the person who told it that there had been multiple deaths was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation, and spoke to on condition of anonymity.
Low temperatures are also hampering first responders, with the BBC forecasting “a minimum of -1C (30F) through the rest of the night.”
The official spokesperson for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, has said the data is “confirmed” that former world champion Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were on board the crashed American Airlines flight.
Tass reports Peskov said “There were other fellow citizens of ours there too. Bad news from Washington today.”
CBS News reporter Kris Van Cleave has said that human remains and aircraft debris have been washing up on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
He told the news network the plane broke into multiple pieces, and that diving crews have had some access to the cabin, and have recovered one black box. He also reported that the helicopter “is upside down but appears to be mostly intact.”
American Airlines flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan national airport with 60 passengers and four crew on board when it collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter at about 9pm local time on Wednesday night.
Updated
Washington DC plane crash – what we know so far …
It is approaching 4am in Washington DC, where an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members has crashed after a midair collision with a US army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three service personnel. Here are the headlines:
Media sources have reported that 19 bodies have been recovered so far from the Potomac river, where both aircraft fell. About 300 first responders were working on the rescue operation. The Potomac River is about 8 feet deep where the aircraft crashed at about 9pm local time on Wednesday night
The plane, American Eagle flight 5342, had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, and the US figure skating governing body confirming that athletes, coaches, and family members were on board after attending national development camp held in conjunction with the US figure skating championships
Russian state media has reported that figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were on board. The pair, who were married, won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and lived in the US
President Donald Trump said the crash “should have been prevented”, adding in a social media post “NOT GOOD!!!”
Pete Hegseth, sworn in just days ago as Trump’s defense secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched immediately” by the army and the defense department
DC fire chief John A Donnelly Sr, described the rescue operation as “highly complex”
All takeoffs and landings from the airport near the capital were halted, with it expected to reopen at 11am (16.00 GMT) at the earliest
The next official briefing will be at 7.30am (12.30 GMT) at Reagan national airport
Updated
CNN’s Gabe Cohen has indicated to the news network that the mood among first responders is somber, and that rescue efforts were moving into “a recovery effort.”
I spoke with a law enforcement source just a few minutes ago. He told me that there’s a really somber mood, even at the rescue scene. It feels – certainly not officially – but that we’re sort of moving from that “search-and-rescue operation” into a recovery effort. They have pulled several bodies out. There are fatalities confirmed at the scene. And now we’re just waiting for answers.
While officials wouldn’t give us any information on the recovery, potential survivors, or the fatality count, you could tell it was not good and that, barring a miracle, they were looking at potentially the worst disaster here in Washington in decade.
Associated Press reports that a recording of air tower communications at the time of the crash has been captured by LiveATC.net, which the agency described as “a respected source for in-flight recording.”
In the recording, seconds after the last message from the American Airlines flight, another plane called the tower and said “Tower, did you see that?”
An air traffic controller then redirected planes heading to runway 33 at Reagan national airport to go around.
“Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three,” one of the air traffic controllers can be heard saying in the audio.
Another controller remarked “I don’t know if you caught earlier what happened, but there was a collision on the approach into 33. We’re going to be shutting down operations for the indefinite future.”
Updated
Local media reports that Reagan national airport is set to reopen at 11am, but that timing is “fluid” depending on the situation.
Updated
US figure skating governing body says it is 'devastated by this unspeakable tragedy'
Here is the text of a statement from the national US figure skating governing body, confirming that athletes, coaches, and family members were on the crashed plane. It said:
These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the national development camp held in conjunction with the US figure skating championships in Wichita, Kansas.
We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.
Russian state media has also reported that Russian figure skaters and coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994, were on board the flight.
19 bodies recovered from scene of Washington DC plane crash – reports
Media sources are reporting that bodies have been recovered from the site of the plane crash in Washington DC. An American Airlines flight operated by PSA collided with a military helicopter as it was approaching Reagan national airport.
NBC Washington, citing two sources close to the recovery efforts, reports that “search-and-rescue crews have recovered the bodies of people who died in the crash,” with the BBC giving the number of bodies recovered as 19.
The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the military Black Hawk helicopter had three people aboard.
US figure skating issued a statement confirming several members of the team, including athletes and coaches were aboard.
The plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas.
Updated
Among the passengers aboad the American Airlines plane were figure skating athletes, coaches and family members who had been at a development camp in Wichita, US Figure Skating has said.
Team USA pair skater Luke Wang posted on X:
Praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc. among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely (sic) heartbreaking.”
Reuters reports, citing the Russian state-run Tass news agency, that world champion Russian figure skaters were aboard the American Airlines plane that crashed near Reagan national airport.
Tass, citing a source, names the Russian figure skaters and coaches as Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Shishkova and Naumov, who are married, won the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994.
Identities of those aboard the plane or helicopter have not yet been officially released.
Updated
The wrecked fuselages of both the US military helicopter and the commercial jet involved in a collision over the Potomac River are lying in the water, Washington mayor, Muriel Bowser, told a press briefing early Thursday.
Divers have made their way inside the helicopter, reports NBC News.
Updated
First responders have been working now for more than five hours. Speaking at a news conference, DC fire chief John A Donnelly Sr, described the rescue operation as “highly complex”.
He said:
The conditions out there are extremely rough for the first responders. It’s cold. They’re dealing with relatively windy conditions – the wind is hard out on the river.”
The two aircraft involved in the mid-air crash above Washington DC, as compiled by Reuters.
UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is one of the most ubiquitous and iconic military helicopters, filling multiple roles for the US military, including air assault, general support, medevac, command and control, and special operations support.
The aircraft involved in the crash was flying with the call sign PAT25 and had three occupants, according to the Aviation Safety Network, a public database of aviation accidents. More than 5,000 Black Hawks have been built since production began in the mid-1970s.
Bombardier CRJ700
The Bombardier CRJ700, which can seat about 70 people, is a workhorse of regional commercial aviation. There are about 260 of the aircraft in service, according to Cirium, an aviation data company.
The plane in the 29 January crash was registered N530EA and manufactured in 2010, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard, American Airlines said. The jet was registered to American Airlines but operated by its wholly owned subsidiary, PSA Airlines.
The crash is serving as a major test for two of the Trump administration’s newest agency leaders, writes Associated Press.
Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as defense secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched immediately” by the army and the defense department.
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, said at a sombre news conference at the airport early on Thursday that his agency would provide all possible resources to the investigation.
Reagan Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. on Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced. The FAA has previously said it would be closed until 5 a.m. Friday.
Updated
Officials who held a press conference at Reagan National Airport did not announce any deaths, but they all had a sombre tone, writes AFP.
Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said “when one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.”
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser would not say whether any bodies were recovered from the crash.
“I can’t say anything about the rescue operation right now,” she said, as reporters continued to press for updates on the passengers.
She also declined to comment on the condition of aircraft, which remains submerged in the Potomac River.
Asked if there are any survivors, Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly, responded: “We don’t know yet. But we’re working.”
There are currently about 300 responders working on the rescue operation.
Donnelly said that conditions are “extremely rough for responders,” with cold weather and intense wind.
The Potomac River is about 8 feet deep where the aircraft crashed after their collision.
“The water is dark. It is murky,” Connelly said.
Updated
300 emergency responders searching waters after collision
Speaking at a news conference, DC fire chief John A. Donnelly Sr. said that 300 emergency responders are searching the waters after a passenger plane collided with a US army helicopter.
“At 8.58 (pm), the first units arrived on the scene and found an aircraft in the water and began rescue operations. This incident has grown,” he said.
Crash is ‘heartbreaking’, says Alexandria mayor
Alexandria mayor Alyia Gaskins has described the crash as “heartbreaking”, according to the Washington Post.
Her Northern Virginia city is south of Reagan National Airport.
“We were devastated to learn of a tragic aviation incident near DCA,” she said in a statement, referring to the airport’s code, DCA. “Our hearts and prayers are with everyone affected.”
Search and rescue operations on the Potomac River
Updated
President Trump says crash ‘should have been prevented’
President Donald Trump said the crash between a US Army helicopter and a passenger jet near Washington “should have been prevented.”
“Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding: “NOT GOOD!!!”
American Airlines CEO statement regarding Flight 5342
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom has released a statement on the collision.
“Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts,” he said, providing a toll free numbers for relatives who believe they may have lost ones one on board the flight.
'There was a lot of sadness,' a view from the terminal
Erie county executive Mark Poloncarz was waiting to catch his flight back to Buffalo, New York, when he saw through the terminal window some emergency vehicles moving out below, the Associated Press reports.
“It didn’t seem anything too strange at that point,” Poloncarz told the news agency. “And then about a minute or so after that, there was an announcement of a full-ground stop, that there would be no flights landing and no flights taking off. And then we started to see a lot of emergency vehicles heading towards the river.”
Poloncarz and others soon saw reports on social media of a plane crash, while rumours began to swirl.
“When flights get delayed, people get aggravated and upset. But there was no one getting aggravated or upset because I think we all realized pretty quickly the magnitude of what occurred.”
“The terminal grew pretty quiet. There was a lot of sadness.”
If you are just tuning into this story, here is our full report on what we know so far.
An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members has crashed after a midair collision with a US army Black Hawk helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan national airport near Washington DC, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac river.
The Washington Post said multiple bodies had been pulled from the water. NBC reported that four people had been pulled alive from the Potomac.
All takeoffs and landings from the airport near the capital were halted as helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter, a US official said.
President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident” and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.”
18 bodies recovered from the Potomac River, reports CBS
CBS news is now reporting that 18 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River after the collision of the regional passenger plane and the Black Hawk military helicopter.
Other media organisations, such as the Washington Post, have reported that multiple bodies had been pulled from the water.
No survivors have been found so far, the newspaper has reported.
American Airlines confirmed that 64 people were aboard the jet - including 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter, a US official said.
Updated
The FBI is helping with the response to the crash, its Washington field office has said. In a statement it wrote:
The FBI Washington Field Office’s National Capital Response Squad is responding to an aviation incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in support of our law enforcement and public safety partners. Please direct questions to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Pictures are starting to come in from the Potomac River, where the rescue operation is underway:
The BlackHawk was taking part in a training flight, Heather Chairez, a spokesperson with the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, has told Reuters.
Another official cited by the news wire said the Army UH-60 helicopter involved in the crash was based out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem says “every available” coast guard resource has been deployed to help with rescue efforts. In a post on X she wrote:
We are deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA. We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders. Praying for the victims and first responders.
What we know so far
An American Airlines flight operated by PSA has collided with a military helicopter as it was approaching Reagan Washington national airport, the federal aviation administration has confirmed. Here’s what we know so far:
The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with the Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, American Airlines confirmed. It had departed from Wichita, Kansas.
The helicopter was carrying three soldiers, multiple news outlets reported, citing US defence officials. They said no senior army officials were onboard.
All takeoffs and landings were halted at the airport as the rescue operation got underway.
Dozens of firefighters were “engaged in dive operations” on the Potomac River, Edward Kelly, the general president of the international association of firefighters, said. Ambulances and other rescue workers including from the military, the park police and the DC metropolitan police department also rushed to the scene.
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “terrible accident” and praising the “incredible work” done by emergency services.
US senator Ted Cruz said “we know there are fatalities” from the plane and helicopter collision, although he did not say where he had got his information from and there are no confirmed casualties as yet.
Updated
Here’s a map showing the location of the airport, just next to the Potomac River were rescue workers are now directing their efforts:
Sixty-four people were onboard plane from Kansas, American Airlines confirms
American Airlines has confirmed earlier reports that 60 passengers and four crew members were onboard the flight from Wichita in Kansas to Washington DC. It said in a statement on its website:
American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington, D.C. (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines with a CRJ-700.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft.
Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.
Updated
Edward Kelly, the general president of the international association of firefighters, says dozens of firefighters are “engaged in dive operations” on the Potomac River. In a post on X he said:
Search and rescue efforts are underway in the Potomac River, with @Local3217, @IAFF36, @IAFFlocal1619, and dozens of other firefighters engaged in dive operations. They’re doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety. Our prayers are with everyone affected.
Updated
Donald Trump thanks emergency responders, says he is monitoring 'terrible accident'
US President Donald Trump has issued a statement on the collision saying he has been briefed on the “terrible accident” and praising the “incredible work” done by emergency services. He said:
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.
Black Hawk helicopter was carrying three soldiers, reports say
Multiple media including the New York Times, Reuters and CNN are saying the Black Hawk helicopter was carrying three soldiers. No senior army officials were onboard, they reported, citing US defence officials.
About 60 people onboard plane that collided with helicopter, sources say
Multiple sources are now saying that about 60 people were onboard the American Airlines plane that collided with the helicopter.
CNN reported that an American Airlines official had told it there were 60 passengers and four crew onboard while a US senator, Roger Marshall, said in a post on X there were “roughly 60 passengers” on the flight.
NBC News also cited a “source familiar with the matter” as saying there were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard.
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Earlier White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump “has been made aware of this situation and tragically it appears that a military helicopter collided with a regional jet at DCA airport.”
“The thoughts and the prayers of the entire Trump administration are with all those that are involved” she added in an interview on Fox News and asked the public to follow direction form law enforcement “as they attempt to save lives”.
The Associated Press is reporting on audio from the air traffic control tower around the time of the crash.
It writes that 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.”
The tower immediately began diverting other aircraft from Reagan.
Newly confirmed defence secretary Pete Hegseth said his department was “actively monitoring” the situation. In a post on X he said:
DoD actively monitoring. Poised to assist if needed. Prayers for all involved.
US senator Ted Cruz says “we know there are fatalities” from the plane and helicopter collision, although he did not say where he had got his information from. In a post on X he said:
I am closely monitoring the situation at DCA, and I will receive a briefing from the FAA tomorrow. While we don’t yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities. Please join Heidi and me in praying for all involved as the search and rescue is underway.
PSA was operating Flight 5342 for American Airlines, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the federal aviation administration. According to American Airlines’ website, the jet can carry up to 65 passengers.
American Airlines has said it is aware of reports of “an incident” near Reagan National Airport. In a post on X it said:
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,” American Airlines.
Multiple helicopters, including those from the US park police and the DC metropolitan police department and US military, were flying over the scene of the incident in the Potomac River, Associated Press reports:
DC Fire and EMS said on X that fireboats were on the scene.
Washington, DC, police said on the social platform X that multiple agencies are conducting a search and rescue effort in the Potomac River after an aircraft crash.
Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center shows two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.
The airport said emergency personnel were responding to “an aircraft incident on the airfield.”
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the collision of a US military helicopter with a passenger jet near Washington DC.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Wednesday night that a PSA Airlines regional jet collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Reagan Washington national airport.
PSA-operated flight 5342 for American Airlines had departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the FAA. According to American Airlines’ website, the jet has capacity for 65 passengers.
Police said multiple agencies were involved in a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River, which borders the airport. There was no immediate word on casualties.
The airport said late on Wednesday that all takeoffs and landings had been halted as emergency personnel responded.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering more information.
We’ll bring you updates as we receive them.
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