U.S. What we know about the midair collision between a passenger jet and Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River By Faris Tanyos, Jordan Freiman
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crash-reagan-national-airport-washington-dc/
A passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair Wednesday and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., officials said.
The plane, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, a regional jetliner, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, CBS News learned. There were three soldiers aboard the Sikorsky H-60, a Defense Department official told CBS News.
At least 19 bodies had been recovered by 2:50 a.m. ET, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CBS News.
Here’s what we know so far about the crash:
What we know about the victims and the search for survivors
As of 2:50 a.m. Thursday, an official said at least 19 bodies had been recovered from the river, which contained three debris fields. The official said no survivors had been found.
In a news briefing early Thursday, officials said that police boats and divers were conducting search and rescue in the Potomac River.
“It’s a highly complex operation, the conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders. It’s cold. They’re dealing with relatively windy conditions,” District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John Donnelly told reporters.
Politicians react to the crash
President Trump said in a statement he had been fully briefed on the crash. “May God Bless their souls,” he said. “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.”
And in a Truth Social post, he questioned what led up to the crash, writing, “This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
Newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on social media that the Pentagon was actively monitoring the situation and “poised to assist if needed.”
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said in a statement, “Tonight, we received devastating news of what can only be described as nothing short of a nightmare … My prayer is that God wraps his arms around each and every victim, and that he continues to be with their families.”
Alexandria, Virginia, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said on social media, “Earlier this evening, we were devastated to learn of a tragic aviation incident near DCA. Our prayers are with everyone affected. Our fire, police, and emergency personnel are assisting in the regional response.” Alexandria is just south of Reagan Washington National Airport.
The first major U.S. commercial crash in almost 16 years
The last major U.S. commercial air crash occurred in February 2009 when a Continental Airlines flight out of Newark, New Jersey, operated by Colgan Air crashed into a house as it was approaching the airport in Buffalo, New York. That plane was a Bombardier Q400. Forty-nine people died in the tragedy. Continental merged with United Airlines in 2010.
The last major American Airlines crash occurred in November 2001 near John F. Kennedy International Airport. American Airlines Flight No. 587, an Airbus A300, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 265 people. It was bound for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The plane crashed in the Belle Harbor area of the Rockaways in the New York City borough of Queens.
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