Main Points
- An American Airlines flight carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a Black Hawk helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River.
- There were 64 passengers and crew onboard, with at least 19 bodies reportedly recovered. Three US soldiers were on board the helicopter.
- Russian ice-skating coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among those on the plane, along with US figure skaters and their families.
Russian Skaters on Board
The Kremlin expressed condolences to the families of the Russian citizens who lost their lives in the crash. Coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were on board the plane that crashed into the Potomac River.
When asked about potential high-level contacts, the Kremlin spokesperson mentioned no immediate plans for President Vladimir Putin to speak with President Donald Trump.
Here are details on the aircraft involved:
UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter
- The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a versatile military helicopter used for various roles, including air assault and special operations support.
- The helicopter involved in the crash, call sign PAT25, had three occupants.
- More than 5,000 Black Hawks have been built since production began in the mid-1970s.
Bombardier CRJ700
- The Bombardier CRJ700 is a regional commercial aircraft that can seat about 70 people.
- The plane involved in the collision, registered N530EA, was manufactured in 2010 and was operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA Airlines.
- Production of the CRJ700 ceased in 2020 when Bombardier sold the program to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Congested Airspace
The crash highlighted safety concerns regarding the crowded airspace over Washington, DC, frequented by both civilian and military aircraft.
Military helicopters are a common sight given the proximity to numerous military bases. In a three-year period ending in 2019, there were 88,000 helicopter flights within 48km of Reagan National Airport.
Recent near-miss incidents have raised further concerns. A shortage of air traffic controllers has exacerbated delays and safety risks across the United States.
Reagan National, the closest major airport to the capital, handles over 800 daily takeoffs and landings, making its main runway among the busiest in the US.
A dive team recovered one of the data recorders, commonly known as black boxes, from the American Airlines regional jet that crashed near Reagan Washington National Airport.
Crash Location
The accident occurred over the Potomac River, close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The National US Figure Skating Governing Body confirmed that athletes, coaches, and family members were on the crashed plane, who were returning from a national development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
They expressed their heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and committed to providing further information as it becomes available.
Incident Details
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser held a press briefing early on Thursday, sharing key details from the incident.
Air traffic control audio recordings captured the final moments before and after the crash.
A controller directed PAT25 to pass behind a CRJ700, followed by reports of a collision.
Controllers then redirected planes from runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport and initiated a site shutdown.
Controllers reported seeing a fireball and then noting both aircraft had crashed in the river.
The crash scene was captured on a webcam from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, showing the aircraft exploding in flames and plummeting to the Potomac River.
Emergency Response
Over 300 emergency responders were involved in the search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River.
A regional jet, operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA Airlines, collided with a military helicopter while approaching Reagan airport at around 9 PM local time.
The aircraft had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and the crash led to the suspension of all aircraft operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
