Washington, January 30
A US Airlines plane collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, DC, resulting in a devastating crash. The aircraft was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, totaling 64 people on board.
According to local media citing police officials, 18 bodies have been recovered so far.
The Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington when it broke into two mid-air after the collision and plunged into the Potomac River, eyewitnesses reported.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing in the river. The crash occurred around 9 PM local time near Washington Reagan National Airport, and an investigation has been launched.
Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, with more than 10 ambulances and emergency vehicles deployed. Reagan Airport announced on social media platform X that all flights have been temporarily suspended.
A U.S. military official told CBS News that the helicopter involved was an Army Black Hawk carrying three soldiers. There were no senior officers on board, but the condition of the soldiers remains unclear.
US President Donald Trump commented on the incident on X, stating, “I have been fully briefed on the crash at Reagan National Airport. The situation is being closely monitored.” He expressed condolences to the victims, saying, “May God grant peace to the souls of the deceased.”
