18 bodies recovered from Potomac River after Washington plane crash

Washington: A tragic mid-air collision over the Potomac River, near Washington’s Reagan National Airport, has resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people, with no survivors found so far, local media reports have confirmed. The collision occurred between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk military helicopter.

The military helicopter, carrying three soldiers, collided with the regional passenger jet, which had 60 passengers and four crew members on board. The jet was approaching the airport for landing at the time of the crash.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the incident occurred around 9 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Emergency response teams immediately launched search and rescue efforts, but as of now, no survivors have been reported.

The Pentagon and the Army are actively investigating the incident, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming that the investigation was launched immediately.

President Donald Trump expressed concern over the tragedy, stating that the accident "should have been prevented." He questioned why authorities did not instruct the helicopter to change its route, stating, "The airplane was on a perfect and routine approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time."

In his social media posts, he expressed concern over the accident, questioning why it wasn’t prevented. He highlighted that the plane’s lights were visible on a clear night and wondered why the helicopter didn’t adjust its course or why the control tower didn’t direct the helicopter.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz also acknowledged the severity of the crash, saying, "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."

The FAA confirmed that the collision occurred between a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, and a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Emergency response teams from the Metropolitan Police Department and the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department have been deployed to search for any potential survivors. Boats have been actively scanning the Potomac River.

As search and rescue operations continue, multiple agencies are working together to manage the crisis and provide assistance.

With IANS inputs