A US Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight collided midair with an American Eagle passenger jet near Washington late Wednesday, sending both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River and prompting a large-scale search and rescue effort.

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American Airlines said 60 passengers and four crew members were aboard the commercial jet that crashed into the Potomac River late Wednesday after colliding with a military helicopter in mid-air outside Washington.

"American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington DC (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA", the airline said in a statement. "There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft."

The wrecked fuselages of both the US military helicopter and the commercial jet are lying in the water, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told a press briefing early Thursday.

Search efforts by an estimated 300 responding personnel including divers were impeded by the "very dark, very murky" water at near-frigid temperatures, added Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly.

The US Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in Wednesday's crash near Washington was on "a training flight" when it collided midair with a passenger jet, a military spokesman said.

The confirmation by a public affairs official was posted on X by new US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who himself described the accident as "absolutely tragic" and said search and rescue efforts were "still ongoing".

RTL

Rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport crashed into the river outside Washington DC on 30 January 2025.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the crash "should have been prevented".

"Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented", Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding: "NOT GOOD!!!"

The chief executive of American Airlines expressed "deep sorrow" after the accident.

"I'd like to express our deep sorrow about these events", said CEO Robert Isom in a video statement, adding: "This is a difficult day for all of us."