Everyone aboard an American Airlines jet collided with an Army helicopter is feared dead

In a devastating aviation incident, an American Airlines commercial jetliner collided mid-air with a U.S. Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, leading to fears that everyone on board the plane has perished. The jet, en route to landing with 60 passengers and 4 crew members, met with the helicopter, which was carrying out a routine training mission with three soldiers, over the Potomac River.

The collision has resulted in what could be the deadliest aviation tragedy on U.S. soil in nearly two decades. The accident happened amidst clear weather conditions, which adds a layer of mystery to the cause of this catastrophic event.

Following the impact, both aircraft plummeted into the river, triggering an immediate response from emergency services. Rescue operations quickly turned into recovery efforts as the grim reality set in. No survivors were found at the scene, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) now leading the investigation into the crash.

Witnesses described the horrifying moment when the plane and helicopter collided, followed by the sight of debris scattering across the river. The NTSB has collected flight data recorders, known as black boxes, from both the aircraft to analyze the final moments leading up to the crash.

Authorities have cordoned off areas near the crash site, with divers and recovery teams working tirelessly to retrieve remains and wreckage. The identities of those on board both the plane and the helicopter have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.

This incident has prompted a broader discussion on aviation safety protocols, especially regarding military and civilian aircraft sharing airspace. Questions are being raised about air traffic control, communication between different branches of aviation, and the training exercises conducted near busy commercial airports.

As the investigation unfolds, condolences have poured in from around the nation, with the President offering support to the families of the victims. Memorial services are being planned, and the community is coming together to mourn the loss and to support those affected by this tragedy.

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ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — All 64 people aboard an American Airlines jet that collided with an Army helicopter were feared dead in what was likely to be the worst U.S. aviation disaster in almost a quarter century, officials said Thursday.

At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday as it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

“We don’t believe there are any survivors,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital. “We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”

The plane was found upside-down in three sections in waist-deep water, and first responders were searching an area of the Potomac River as far south as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, roughly 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) south of the airport, Donnelly said. The helicopter wreckage was also found.

If no one survived, the collision would be the deadliest U.S. air crash since 2009.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the collision, but officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, with U.S. and Russian figure skaters and others aboard. It was preparing for a routine landing at the time of the collision.

“On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said. “At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the … aircraft.”

President Donald Trump was scheduled to talk about the crash later Thursday from the White House.

Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and the mangled wreckage of the plane’s fuselage.

Investigators will try to piece together the aircraft’s final moments before the collision, including its contact with air traffic controllers.

“I would just say that everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “That when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn’t happen last night, and I know that President Trump, his administration, the FAA, the DOT, we will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly, you’re safe.”

Reagan Airport was to reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced.

Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, was asked if he could reassure Americans that the United States still has the safest airspace in the world.

“Can I guarantee the American flying public that the United States has the most safe and secure airspace in the world? And the answer to that is, absolutely yes, we do,” he said.

Authorities have ‘early indicators’ of what went wrong

The night was clear, the plane and helicopter were both in standard flight patterns and there was standard communication between the aircraft and the tower, Duffy said.

“We have early indicators of what happened here,” Duffy said, though he declined to elaborate pending an investigation.

It is not unusual to have a military aircraft flying the river and an aircraft landing at the airport, he said. Asked if the plane was aware that there was a helicopter in the area, Duffy said the helicopter was aware that there was a plane in the area.

Asked about Trump suggesting in an overnight social media post that the collision could have been prevented, Duffy said: “From what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not appear at the Thursday morning news conference. He was expected to brief reporters at the Pentagon later.

Likely the deadliest plane crash since November 2001

If everyone aboard the plane was killed, it would be the deadliest U.S. airline crash since Nov. 12, 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York, just after takeoff from Kennedy Airport, killing all 260 people aboard.

The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. Everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane was killed, including 45 passengers, two pilots and two flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50. An investigation determined that the captain accidentally caused the plane to stall as it approached the airport in Buffalo.

Passengers on Wednesday’s flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.

Two of those coaches were identified by the Kremlin as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics. The Skating Club of Boston lists them as coaches and their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S.

Club CEO Doug Zeghibe described the group as highly talented, saying their loss would resonate through the skating community for years.

This event serves as a somber reminder of the risks inherent in air travel, even under seemingly safe conditions, and underscores the importance of continuous improvements in safety measures and technology to prevent such disasters in the future.