An American Airlines passenger plane with 64 people on board and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision near Washington's Reagan National Airport on Wednesday evening, officials said.
A source told the Associated Press that there were multiple casualties, but the toll was unclear. There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash. All flights from Reagan National Airport were canceled, and helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region were scrambled to the scene to search for survivors.
The Washington Post, citing sources, reported that several bodies had been pulled from the water. According to the newspaper, there have been no survivors so far.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz said in a post on social media that "we know there are casualties ," but did not provide further details.
Friends, family and relatives of the passengers gathered at Washington's Reagan National Airport demanding more information.
A woman told an airport official, "I don't know if I got on the plane or not," apparently referring to a passenger on the crashed plane. The woman then burst into tears.
The United States Armed Forces said in a statement that they could "confirm that an Army UH-60 helicopter from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was involved in tonight's incident. We are cooperating with local officials and will provide additional information as soon as possible."
There has not been a fatal passenger plane crash in the US since February 2009, but a series of incidents in recent years have raised safety concerns.
Footage recorded by a camera at the Kennedy Center in Washington showed an explosion in mid-air over the Potomac River at around 9:47 p.m. local time, and the burning plane rapidly descending.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Wednesday night that PSA Airlines RJ700 collided in midair with a US Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Washington Reagan National Airport.
The plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the FAA.
Police said multiple agencies were involved in a search and rescue operation on the Potomac River.
The airport announced on Wednesday that all flights had been suspended and that emergency personnel responded to a plane crash.
United States President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on what he called "a terrible accident" and was monitoring the situation.
"May God bless their souls ," he added. "Thank you to all the emergency teams for the extraordinary work they are doing. I am monitoring the situation and will provide details as soon as possible . "
In a social media post, American Airlines said it was aware of reports that one of its planes was involved in the incident and would provide more details as soon as possible.
The airport will remain closed until 5 p.m. local time on Friday. /VOA
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