By Belize Live News Staff: A devastating midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport has left at least 16 people dead, with multiple others missing.
The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, was on approach to Runway 33 when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Army helicopter around 9 p.m. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, prompting a massive search and rescue operation involving over 300 first responders from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Authorities have recovered more than a dozen bodies, while four survivors have been pulled from the freezing waters and transported to area hospitals. Video footage captured the moment of impact, showing a fireball explosion as the aircraft made contact. Air traffic control had warned the helicopter moments before the crash, but it is unclear if the crew responded.
President Donald Trump called the crash a “terrible accident” and questioned the handling of the situation by air traffic controllers and the helicopter crew. The FAA and NTSB have launched an investigation, while Reagan National Airport remains closed until at least Friday morning.
