On Jan. 28 at 8:47 p.m., an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport crashed into the Potomac River, east of the airport and 4 miles south of the nation’s capital, Washington D.C.
The plane collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk, a type of army helicopter Reagan Washington National Airport closed and grounded all flights.
The American Airlines plant is a Bombardier CRJ700 which is configured with 65 seats according to American Airlines. If there were any survivors in the water they would have been at risk according to the Washington National Weather Service, with hypothermia kicking in as soon as 20 to 30 minutes of being inside the water.
No survivors have been confirmed according to reports. According to eyewitness reports, a sea of firetrucks and emergency ambulances were pulling to both sides of the Potomac River for search and rescue operations. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said her department deployed every available U.S. Coast Guard resource for search and rescue in a post on X.
It has also been confirmed that three Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students and six parents have also passed away as a result of the crash, according to a statement from Fairfax County Government.
“We are devastated by the tragic news as we learn members of our FCPS community have lost their lives in the accident last night at Reagan National Airport,” FCPS superintendent Michelle Reid said in an update on the FCPS website.
So far, search and rescue operations have found out that all passengers and crew members are dead, and pulled out of the Potomac River. This is one of the deadliest collisions in over 24 years, with 9/11 being the last deadliest American air carrier accident, with 531 deaths.
“This is really shaking a lot of people, including people very sadly, from other nations, who are on the flight for the family members back in Wichita, Kansas here in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States and in Russia,” President Donald Trump said. “We have a Russia contingent, some very talented people. Unfortunately, [they were] on that plane.”