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An EarthCam near the Kennedy Center captured the moment a small American Airlines plane collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Recovery efforts are underway in the Potomac River after a small American Airlines plane collided with an Army helicopter before crashing into the water near Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night.
As a result of the deadly crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered the closure of Washington Reagan National Airport until 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Multiple airlines have issued travel alerts and advisories for DCA-related flights.
The most reliable way to check if your flight is delayed or canceled is directly through your airline. You can use the airline's mobile app, visit their website, or, if you’re already at the airport, check the counter or monitor displays for updates.
Here are some helpful links for tracking travel alerts and flight status updates for most major airlines:
What we know:
According to the FAA, the midair collision occurred around 9 p.m. ET Wednesday when American Airlines flight 5342, arriving from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter while approaching the airport runway.
The jet, a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine aircraft, was at an altitude of approximately 400 feet and traveling at about 140 miles per hour when it suddenly lost altitude over the Potomac River, FOX 5 DC reported.
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – JANUARY 30: Emergency response teams including Washington, DC Fire and EMS, DC Police and others, respond to helicopter wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virgin
American Airlines confirmed that 60 passengers and four crew members were on the aircraft, while three soldiers are believed to have been on the helicopter – which was on a training mission.
U.S. Figure Skating confirmed several members were aboard the American Airlines flight when it crashed.
In an update on Thursday morning, DC officials confirmed that they believe there are no survivors and have transitioned the operation from search and rescue to a recovery effort.
More than a dozen bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of the crash.
Officials are still working to learn how the flights came into the paths of each other.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by DC officials, the FAA and details provided on airline websites.
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