American Airlines jet collides with Black Hawk helicopter near Washington DC

An American Airlines regional passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter jet collided while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The cause of the crash remains under investigation.There was no immediate confirmation of casualties, but Kansas Senator Roger Marshall reported that the plane, which collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter late Wednesday, was carrying around 60 passengers. U.S. officials said three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.The collision, which occurred at around 9:00 p.m. Resulted in a halt to all takeoffs and landings at the airport. The FAA confirmed that the PSA Airlines regional jet collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 ​​helicopter while approaching the airport. The jet, operated by American Eagle, has a capacity of up to 65 passengers.American Airlines, which operates the flight, said it was aware of the incident and would provide updates as more information became available.Multiple agencies launched a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River, which borders the airport, although no casualties had been reported.Rescue boats were deployed from a site near the airport along the George Washington Parkway.Photo: American Airlines jet and helicopter near Washington’s Reagan Airport colliding/ @LokmatTimes_ngp on XPhoto: American Airlines jet and helicopter near Washington’s Reagan Airport colliding/ @LokmatTimes_ngp on XPresident Donald Trump was briefed on the situation, and Vice President JD Vance asked followers on social media to “say a prayer for everyone involved.”The collision prompted a suspension of all airport operations.Helicopters from the U.S. Park Police, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. military were seen flying over the scene. Washington D.C. Fire and EMS also responded with fireboats.Surveillance video from the nearby Kennedy Center showed two sets of lights resembling aircraft appearing to merge in a fireball. Air traffic control audio from the time of the incident captured a controller asking the helicopter, “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?” Moments later, another pilot reported seeing the collision, prompting the control tower to divert incoming flights.The incident evoked memories of the 1982 Air Florida crash, when a plane crashed into the Potomac River, killing 78 people. That crash was caused by bad weather.