A passenger plane belonging to American Airlines, carrying 64 individuals, crashed into the Potomac River near Washington, DC after colliding midair with a military helicopter during a training exercise on Wednesday evening. This incident led to a significant emergency response and the suspension of all flights.
The plane, which had flown from Kansas, was on its way to Reagan National Airport for landing. American Airlines reported that the aircraft had 60 passengers and four crew members on board.
A US Army official disclosed that the involved helicopter was a Black Hawk model transporting three soldiers who were on a training flight. Washington police mentioned that there is no confirmed information regarding casualties at the moment.
Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a directive to ground all planes at Reagan National Airport. Various agencies were dispatched to the crash site in the Potomac River, as stated by Washington’s police.
The most recent major fatal aviation crash in the US occurred in 2009 when Continental Flight 3407 traveling from New Jersey to Buffalo, New York crashed, resulting in the death of all 49 individuals on board.