A devastating mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter has claimed the lives of all 64 people on board both aircraft. The crash occurred over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, plunging the wreckage into freezing waters.
Trump Confirms No Survivors in Tragic Address
President Donald Trump addressed the nation, confirming that no one survived the accident. Calling it an “hour of anguish,” he expressed condolences to the victims’ families and praised emergency responders for their tireless recovery efforts.
“This is a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s history,” Trump stated, adding that officials have “strong opinions” on what may have caused the collision.
Rescue Efforts Turn to Recovery Operation
Washington, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly confirmed that at least 27 bodies have been recovered from the plane and one from the helicopter. The grim search continues, with over 300 emergency workers scouring the wreckage.
Authorities report that the American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with a US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at approximately 9 p.m. The crash site has been described as catastrophic, with the plane breaking into multiple pieces in waist-deep water.
Mystery Surrounds the Collision on a Clear Night
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed that both aircraft were on standard flight paths under clear weather conditions. Flight tracking data indicates that the jet was descending at about 300 feet when it made impact with the military helicopter, which had been in the air for roughly 10 minutes after departing from Fort Beaver, Virginia.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom emphasized that the pilots were highly experienced and questioned why the helicopter entered the flight path of the commercial plane. Trump also took to Truth Social, questioning why the crash wasn’t avoided, stating, “It is a CLEAR NIGHT. The lights on the plane were blazing. Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn? Why didn’t the control tower intervene? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
Victims Identified – Russian Figure Skating Champions Among the Dead
Among those on board were world champion Russian figure skaters Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Several members of the US skating community were also passengers, reportedly returning from a competition in Wichita, Kansas.
Tragic accounts have emerged, including a husband who received a final text from his wife just 20 minutes before the crash, stating that she was about to land. “I’m just praying that someone is pulling her out of the river right now,” Hamaad Raza told reporters.
Airport Closed as Investigation Begins
Ronald Reagan National Airport remains closed until at least 11 a.m. as authorities investigate the incident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense are working to determine how the collision occurred.
This marks the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years and raises new concerns over air safety. Although there have been no fatal U.S. passenger airline crashes since 2009, multiple near-miss incidents in recent years have sparked industry-wide scrutiny.
