Potomac Crash
Live Blog EndedJan 30, 2025

‘No survivors' after plane, helicopter crash into Potomac River

An aircraft with 64 people on board collided with a military helicopter with three passengers not far from DCA

This blog has ended. See the latest updates on Thursday's live blog.

What to Know

  • An American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter collided and crashed Wednesday night into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport.
  • All 64 people on the passenger plane that was arriving from Wichita, Kansas, are feared to be dead, in addition to the three aboard the helicopter. Twenty-eight bodies have been recovered, officials said at a news conference Thursday morning.
  • “At this point, we don’t believe there are survivors from this accident," D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly said Thursday morning.
  • A massive emergency response included boats and dive teams from police and fire departments across the area.
  • What caused the collision? It's unclear. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said there was no communication breakdown and both aircraft involved in the crash were in standard flight patterns.
  • Reagan National Airport reopened at 11 a.m. ET Thursday. "It's safe," the president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said.

An American Airlines flight and a military helicopter collided and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport Wednesday evening. Officials believe everyone on both aircraft died. A recovery operation is underway.

Follow along with live updates below.

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