Update [01/30/2025 at 9:38 a.m. EST]: See the video below:
Update [01/30/2025 at 9:00 a.m. EST]: Official have told reporters there are “no survivors believed from last night’s airplane helicopter collision,” per Reuters reporter David Shepardson.
An American Airlines flight carrying 64 passengers collided with an Army helicopter over Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., Wednesday night.
According to the Associated Press, the plane collided with an Army helicopter while it was in the process of landing, which quickly prompted a full-scale search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River.
The flight was coming into land around 9 p.m. ET, and was arriving from Wichita, Kansas. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was struck by a Black Hawk helicopter while it approached the runway and was at a relatively low altitude when the collision happened, crashing into the nearby Potomac River.
Fox News reported some of the passengers onboard the aircraft were U.S. and Russian Olympian ice skaters. U.S. Figure Skating said the athletes, along with their family and coaches were returning from a camp in Wichita.
“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.,” U.S. Figure Skating said. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
The Russian skaters onboard the flight, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, competed at the Winter Olympics twice and won a pairs title at the 1994 world championships.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov sent his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones while talking to reporters Thursday.
“Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash,” Peskov said.
