Black Hawk Helicopter and Passenger Jet Collide Over Potomac, Search Shifts to Recovery Efforts

Following an extensive search-and-rescue effort, officials now believe there are no survivors from the devastating crash. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly announced early Thursday that operations are now focused on recovery efforts. At least 28 bodies have been retrieved from the Potomac River, with identification efforts currently underway. Among the victims, 27 were aboard the American Eagle passenger jet, while one was from the Black Hawk helicopter.

The D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is leading efforts to identify victims and notify their families. Authorities have vowed to recover every victim and ensure they are reunited with their loved ones. More than 300 responders, including local, state, and federal teams, have participated in the emergency operation.

Police and fireboats have been actively searching the water, coordinating through mutual aid agreements with regional agencies. Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington has been on standby, though no survivors have been transported for treatment.

The tragedy occurred Wednesday night when a regional jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members crashed. The aircraft collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport.

Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, prompting an immediate response from emergency teams across the region. What began as a rescue mission has now transitioned into a large-scale recovery effort for missing victims.

President Donald Trump said there were no survivors in the mid-air collision between a military helicopter Black Hawk and passenger plane American Eagle.

American Airlines confirmed that American Eagle Flight 5342 was en route from Wichita, Kansas, when the accident happened. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser reported that the military helicopter had three crew members onboard during the collision. Among the passengers were American figure skaters, coaches, and family members returning from a training camp.