What we know so far about Washington DC plane crash

A passenger plane and a helicopter collided midair near Washington DC's Ronald Reagan airport on Wednesday evening, and no survivors are expected. The plane, carrying 64 passengers and crew, crashed into the Potomac River after the collision. The helicopter, which had three people on board, was operated by a "fairly experienced crew," according to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Among the passengers on the plane were figure skaters from the US and Russia, as confirmed by officials from US Figure Skating and a Boston-based club. Authorities conducting the search in the freezing waters have now transitioned to a recovery operation.

A tragic collision occurred near Washington DC's Ronald Reagan Airport on Wednesday evening, involving a passenger plane and a helicopter. The crash resulted in no survivors. The plane, a Bombardier CRJ700, was operating as American Airlines flight 5342 and was carrying 64 people, including passengers and crew. It collided midair with a US Army Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, which had three people aboard, all soldiers. The plane broke into several pieces and sank into the Potomac River, while the helicopter flipped upside down in the water.

Among the passengers on the plane were figure skaters from the US and Russia, as confirmed by US Figure Skating and a Boston-based club. The collision occurred around 9:00 PM local time, as the plane was approaching the airport. The helicopter was on an annual proficiency flight and was using night-vision goggles.

Air traffic control recordings indicated the helicopter pilot acknowledged warnings about the approaching plane just before the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the incident, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. They have retrieved the jet's data recorder and will examine factors such as human error.

How many victims are there?

Officials do not believe there are any survivors from the crash.

So far, 27 bodies have been recovered from the plane, and one from the helicopter.

US Figure Skating confirmed that "several members of our skating community were sadly aboard" the flight, including athletes, coaches, and family members returning from a development camp in Kansas.

The Kremlin also confirmed that Russian citizens were among the passengers, including ice skating coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

Around 300 responders in rubber boats were deployed to search for survivors, though authorities highlighted the difficulties of the operation due to the dangerous conditions, including wind and ice on the water.

What are eyewitnesses saying?

Ari Schulman told NBC Washington that he witnessed the plane crash while driving along the George Washington Parkway, which runs beside the airport. He described the plane's approach as looking normal at first, until it suddenly banked sharply to the right, with "streams of sparks" trailing underneath, lighting up its underside. Schulman immediately realized something was wrong. Having seen many planes land there before, he noted that the underside of the plane shouldn't have been visible in the dark. The sparks, he said, looked like a "giant roman candle," extending from the plane’s nose to its tail.

Jimmy Mazeo shared that he saw the crash while dining with his girlfriend at a park near the airport. He recalled spotting what appeared to be a "white flare" in the sky and mentioned that planes approaching Ronald Reagan Airport had seemed to fly in "irregular patterns." At the time, he didn’t think much of it, but once emergency services arrived at the scene, he realized the gravity of what had occurred.

What has President Trump said?

During a press conference on Thursday, President Trump stated that the nation was "in mourning." He also criticized his political opponents, claiming they had hired "mediocre" staff for air traffic control roles. Trump repeated his concerns over former President Joe Biden's efforts to promote diversity within the federal workforce, suggesting that such initiatives had led to lowered standards at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

While Trump shared that he and his team had "strong opinions and ideas" about the situation, he acknowledged that the investigation was still in its early stages.

Additionally, Trump announced the appointment of Chris Rocheleau as the temporary head of the FAA. The top positions at the agency, including administrator and deputy administrator, have remained vacant since Trump took office.

How is air safety in the US?

Here's a summary of the recent Washington DC plane crash incident:

On Wednesday evening, a passenger plane collided midair with a helicopter near Washington DC's Ronald Reagan Airport, causing both aircraft to crash into the Potomac River. The American Airlines flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was carrying 64 people when it broke into pieces and sank. The helicopter, a US Army Sikorsky H-60 with three crew members, flipped over into the water. The crash is feared to have resulted in no survivors, with authorities shifting to a recovery operation.

Among those on the plane were US and Russian figure skaters, including athletes and coaches returning from a camp in Kansas. The crash occurred around 9:00 PM local time, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation. It is suspected that human error or miscommunication may have played a role, as air traffic control reportedly warned the helicopter about the approaching plane just before the crash.

Eyewitnesses described seeing sparks and irregular flight patterns just before the crash. President Trump expressed condolences and criticized diversity policies in the FAA during a press conference, suggesting they may have affected air traffic control standards.

This tragic event follows a rare history of major air disasters in the US, with the last comparable crash being in 2009.