Emergency services operate at Gravelly Point, after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed in the Potomac River, in Arlington, Va., Jan. 29, 2025.

Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

Last night a regional American Airlines passenger jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided over Washington, D.C. in the nation’s first major commercial airline crash since 2009.

The collision involved American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, the airline confirmed. 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the jet departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the FAA. As it began its landing approach at the Ronald Raegan National Airport, a US military blackhawk was taking off near the runway, causing a mid-air collision over the water that could be seen for miles.

Emergency service began an immediate search for any survivors in the Potomac River.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of the passengers and crew on board,” the airline stated. “We are coordinating with authorities and actively assisting in emergency response efforts.”

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, initial reports indicate that a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while approaching the airport.

Authorities have launched a multi-agency search-and-rescue operation, with approximately 300 responders on the scene as of late Wednesday night, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly reported.

The search effort is expected to continue overnight, with divers and boats combing the dark, frigid waters of the Potomac River.

Officials have yet to confirm if any individuals have been recovered from the water or transported to the hospital. Three emergency care providers in the Washington, D.C., region told ABC News that they had not yet received any patients from the crash.

“As of now, we have not received any patients,” VHC Health, formerly Virginia Hospital Center, stated at midnight Wednesday. “The crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a tragic and shocking event, and our thoughts are with all those affected. We are working closely with Arlington and Metropolitan Police, Fire, and EMS teams, as well as other authorities,” the statement continued. “VHC Health stands ready to support first responders as they continue their emergency response.”

At the time of the crash, the Potomac River’s water temperature was approximately 36 degrees, while the air temperature stood at 50 degrees, with winds gusting between 25 and 30 mph.