On Wednesday night, a collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional plane near Reagan International Airport in DC was caught on camera from the Kennedy Center, prompting a fire, a massive response from EMS and police.
Fox’s According to Chad Pergram, the jet was a PSA Airlines Bombadier CRJ700 regional plane approaching runway 33 at Reagan Airport. It reportedly carried 64 people, including four crew members. There is currently no information about casualties, but four people have reportedly been rescued who have been transported to the North Boathouse fire station at the airport.
According to local police, “DC Fire and EMS, the Metropolitan Police Department and several partner agencies are currently coordinating a search and rescue operation on the Potomac River,” adding, “There is currently no confirmed information about the victims.”
According to the NY Times, all those who survived the water could be at risk as temperatures in the Washington area are expected to drop below freezing tonight. According to the National Weather Service, hypothermia can be triggered in cold water within 20-30 minutes.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that President Trump was aware of the situation, adding that “tragically, it appears that a military helicopter collided with a regional plane.”
In response to the incident, nearby Ronald Reagan Washington State Airport halted all takeoffs and landings as emergency personnel responded to a “plane incident” at the airport.
The DC Fire and Ambulance Service posted to X shortly after 9 p.m. that a small plane had crashed in the Potomac River near the airport and that boats led by the fire department were at the scene.
In a post to X, Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) said he had seen reports of a collision with a DC helicopter and a flight that arrived from Wichita, Kansas.
“We are in contact with authorities who are working to get answers,” Marshall wrote. “We ask you to join us in prayer for each passenger and their families.”
