Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. is closely monitoring the situation at the Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia, after a regional passenger aircraft, reportedly carrying 64 people, collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter while approaching to landThe plane crashed in the nearby Potomac river.“Authorities are currently undertaking search and rescue operations. The White House has confirmed that a military helicopter collided with a commercial jet. So far, the Embassy has not received reports of Filipinos involved in the incident,” a statement from the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC said.According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), American Airlines Flight 5342 departed from Wichita, Kansas and was approaching Runway 33 of the Reagan Washington National Airport for landing, when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, around 9PM PST Wednesday, or 10am Thursday Manila time.In a statement posted on X, the FAA says it is working with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the investigation of the incident.“The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation. We will provide updates as information comes in,” the FAA said.The number of casualties is not yet known, as search and rescue operations continue.In one of his first few posts on X after just being sworn-in, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is on site at the FAA headquarters to closely monitor the situation and has made the necessary instructions to his agency.“I have directed the @USDOT (US Department of Transportation) and the FAA to provide full support to the NTSB and all responding agencies and authorities.”“I have spoken with Washington D.C. Mayor Bowser, Virginia Governor Youngkin, Kansas Governor Kelly, and NTSB Chair Homendy to offer our agency’s complete assistance. Thank you to all first responders who are on the scene and conducting the search and rescue operations,” he added.The NTSB also assured the public that it has deployed a “go-team” — technical experts who are on call to head to accident sites for prompt investigation and troubleshooting.The Reagan Washington National Airport is just 4.9 miles or almost 8 kilometers away from Washington D.C. All takeoffs and landings at the airport has been halted.“All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update,” the airport announced on its official X account.US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson also reacted to the incident.“My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, together with deepest gratitude for all the first responders and other helpers,” Carlson said in response to an ABS-CBN post.<div>DARK, NEAR-FREEZING RIVER</div>The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the grounding of all planes at Reagan National, and Washington&#x27;s police said on X that &quot;multiple agencies&quot; were responding to the crash site in the Potomac.Kristi Noem, the country&#x27;s new secretary of homeland security, posted on X that she was &quot;deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA.&quot;Police said fireboats had joined the operation on the river, where any work was complicated by the fact it was dark and close to freezing. Dozens of fire trucks headed toward the airport.The FAA said a Bombardier regional jet operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA Airlines &quot;collided in midair&quot; with a Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter as it approached for landing at Reagan at around 9:00 pm (0200 GMT). The plane had left from Wichita, Kansas.<script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABTsJMqHpM-dhYDP&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script>US Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said the collision was &quot;nothing short of a nightmare.&quot;&quot;I ask the world to join me in praying for Kansas this evening, the first responders, rescue crews, and all those involved in this horrific accident,&quot; he wrote on X.<div>CROWDED AIRSPACE</div>Questions were expected to focus on how a passenger plane with modern collision-avoidance technology and nearby traffic controllers could collide with a military aircraft over the nation&#x27;s capital.However, the airspace around Washington is often crowded, with planes coming in low over the city to land at Reagan airport and helicopters -- military, civilian and carrying senior politicians -- buzzing about both day and night.The same airport was the scene of a deadly crash in January 1982 when Air Florida flight 90, a Boeing 737, took off but quickly plummeted, hitting the 14th Street bridge and crashing through the ice into the Potomac River. 78 people died.Investigators concluded the pilot had failed to activite sufficient de-icing procedures.The last major fatal US crash was in 2009, when Continental Flight 3407 from New Jersey to Buffalo, New York crashed and killed all 49 people aboard. — with Agence France-Presse

A US passenger plane carrying 64 people crashed into Washington DC's chilly Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter on a nighttime training exercise Wednesday, prompting a major emergency response and the grounding of all flights.

A US passenger plane carrying 64 people crashed into Washington DC's chilly Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter on a nighttime training exercise Wednesday, prompting a major emergency response and the grounding of all flights.

Plane carrying more than 60 collides with helicopter, crashes in Washington

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

Plane carrying more than 60 collides with helicopter, crashes in Washington

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 30, 2025 10:51 AM PHT

|

Updated January 30, 2025 03:05 PM PHT

Read More:

ABSNews

ANC promo

US

air crash

Potomac River

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.