Part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport crashed into the river outside Washington, DC, January 30, 2025. A regional jet from Kansas crashed into Washington’s Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, officials said January 29, prompting a major emergency response and grounding all flights. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Follow all the updates here:
Jan 30, 2025 3:52 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: The International Skating Union (ISU) has expressed “shock” and grief over the tragic American Airlines jet-Black Hawk helicopter collision. The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jetliner was carrying 60 passengers, including several figure skaters from the US and Russia, and four crew members. 19 bodies have been recovered so far, reported CBS News. No survivors have been found yet.
“The International Skating Union (ISU) and the global skating community are deeply shocked by the tragic accident involving an American Airlines flight in Washington, D.C. last night. We are heartbroken to learn that Figure Skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” the union said in a statement shared on X.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport—it’s a close-knit family—and we stand together. We remain in close contact with U.S. Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time.”
Jan 30, 2025 3:07 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: A former Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot told BBC that military aircraft are expected to avoid civilian traffic. “I’ve flown as a military pilot in the US and I’m somewhat familiar with the airspace around Washington DC. It’s highly congested but civilian and military traffic share one radio frequency,” George Bacon told the outlet.
Bacon explained that in contrast to civilian airliners, which are expected to follow fixed flight paths, military pilots have more freedom in navigation. “The military regulate themselves and pilots can choose to fly where they want and need to. In controlled airspace like this, they would still have freedom to take avoiding action, but they would be following the direction of the controller. The emphasis is that they must look – it’s known as ‘see and avoid,’” he said.
Jan 30, 2025 2:49 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: Two data recorders, AKA “black boxes”, have been recovered by a dive time from the American Airlines regional plane carrying 64 on board that crashed near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday, CBS News reported. Divers made the discovery as human remains and debris began washing up on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
Jan 30, 2025 2:37 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: As of 2:50 am ET, at least 19 bodies were recovered, a law enforcement source told CBS News. Search efforts continue in the Potomac River.
Jan 30, 2025 2:14 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: As of midnight local time, the official temperature at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was around 7C (44F), but it is expected to drop further to a low of -1C (30F) throughout the night, reports BBC.
Jan 30, 2025 1:57 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: A witness has revealed what he saw in the sky when the plane and the chopper collided, saying it looked like “white flares” lighting up the sky. Local resident Jimmy Mazeo told WUSA9 that he initially “didn’t think much of it” and thought what he saw looked like “shooting stars.”
“We didn’t really think much of it until we saw the fire trucks started going out to the tarmac and the police cars and boats. It was insane,” he said.
First responders soon arrived at the scene, which is when Mazeo realised that he and his partner saw a tragedy. “I’m really in awe. Of course, it’s terrible what happened tonight, but I think that it’s crazy we got to see what happened. I’m praying for all the people involved in this,” he said.
Jan 30, 2025 1:46 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: Several figure skaters from the US and Russia were reportedly aboard the plane that crashed. Many coaches and parents of the skaters were aboard the fight too, the Wichita Eagle reported.
The skaters were a part of the National Development Team, and had even competed at the US Figure Skating Championships. The event was held at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan, between January 20 to January 26
Team US pair skater Luke Wang wrote on X, “praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc. among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely heartbreaking.”
Jan 30, 2025 1:18 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced that his department will “provide all the support that’s necessary” as first responders execute a rescue operation to locate survivors. “From the Department of Transportation and FAA perspective, we are going to offer full support to those on the ground – to the mayor but also to the NTSB, who is going to be conducting the investigation in this matter,” Duffy said at a press conference at Washington Reagan National Airport.
“We are going to provide all the support that’s necessary,” he added.
Duffy said that he has had a conversation with President Donald Trump and his staff about the crash in the White House Situation Room, and has also spoken to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “I think for all of us, we want to extend our thoughts and prayers to those individuals who are impacted by the events tonight,” Duffy said. “Thank you to the first responders who are getting in very difficult situations and environments out there searching and attempting a rescue.”
Jan 30, 2025 12:52 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: Air Traffic Control audio has revealed that the plane was cleared to land at Reagan National Airport moments before its collision, but the helicopter it collided with did not respond to warnings. In an audio clip that has surfaced on X, an official at Reagan National Airport can be heard clearing the commercial flight from Wichita, Kansas, to land on runway 33.
The pilot can be heard in the audio clip confirming that he had the Black Hawk chopper in sight. An air traffic controller asked the helicopter pilot less than 30 seconds before the crash whether the plane that was in its final descent was visible, according to the Associated Press.
“PAT25, do you have the DRJ in sight?,” the controller asked.
When no response from the pilot came, the controller ordered, “PAT25 pass behind the CRJ.”
Seconds later, the deadly crash took place.
Jan 30, 2025 12:45 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: Ronald Reagan National Airport will remain closed until late Thursday morning, January 30, due to the tragedy. The Arlington, Va. airport is set to reopen with first flights taking off at 11 am, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter has confirmed.
Jan 30, 2025 12:26 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: About 300 first responders are reportedly battling dark, cold and windy conditions while executing a “rescue operation” in Potomac River. “Our fire department, DC fire and EMS, supported by fire departments and police departments from across the metropolitan region are executing a rescue operation in the Potomac River,” Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “They are working diligently in very dark, cold conditions – cold water – to execute this rescue operation.”
DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly revealed that “currently about 300 responders are working” from throughout the region, including the US Coast Guard. “The water that we’re operating in is about eight feet deep. There is wind. There are pieces of ice out there. So it’s just dangerous and hard to work in,” Donnelly added.
Jan 30, 2025 12:22 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: In a Truth Social post, president Donald Trump raised questions on the circustances around the tragedy. “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport,” he wrote. “The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
Jan 30, 2025 12:06 PM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly has confirmed that the search is now entirely on the waters of the Potomac River, and not overland. “We don’t know if there are survivors,” he said.
Donnelly added that first responders will work with the National Transportation Safety Board to help preserve evidence, even though their first priority is to look for survivors. “We will re-evaluate where we are with a rescue operation in the morning, when we get a better sense of it,” he said.
Jan 30, 2025 11:33 AM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates: The commercial plane involved in the crash split in two, it has been reported. NBC 4 Washington’s Mark Segraves said that two sources on the scene revealed that the American Airlines plane split in half. In fact, the aircraft is now seven feet under water in the Potomac River. Rescue efforts are underway.
Jan 30, 2025 11:12 AM IST
Washington DC plane crash LIVE updates:American Airlines CEO Robert Isom has said that the company is “cooperating fully” with the federal investigation into the crash. “We’re cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation, and will continue to provide all the information we can,” Isom said in a video statement posted on the company’s website.
“Our cooperation is without pause, and we want to learn everything we can about today’s events,” he added. “That work will take time, but anything we can do now, we’re doing.”
Jan 30, 2025 11:00 AM IST
An eyewitness who was driving home near the airport has described the horrifying crash. Ari Schulman was driving along the George Washington Parkway, which runs right by the airport, when the tragedy occurred. “You can always see these planes lined up to land. I always look at them when I’m driving home because it’s just a really interesting, kind of an elegant sight,” Schulman told NBC Washington.
Schulman said that he looked up and saw a plane roughly 120 to 150 feet in the air preparing to land, but when he looked back up moments later, “it looked very, very wrong.” “It looked to me like a giant Roman candle, sparks shooting from the head of the plane down to the tail. I saw that for about two seconds,” he said.
Jan 30, 2025 10:55 AM IST
At least 18 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River by emergency services following the crash, a police official has said, according to CBS News. No survivors have been found yet.
Jan 30, 2025 10:42 AM IST
The FBI has said that it is aiding response to the crash by assisting local agencies. “The FBI Washington Field Office’s National Capital Response Squad is responding to an aviation incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in support of our law enforcement and public safety partners,” the Washington field office said in a statement.
Jan 30, 2025 10:34 AM IST
A military official told NBC News that the helicopter involved in the crash was participating in a training flight. “We can confirm that the aircraft involved in tonight’s incident was an Army UH-60 helicopter from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir during a training flight,” the official said.
Jan 30, 2025 10:26 AM IST
The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents cabin crews at PSA Airlines, has confirmed in a statement that two flight attendants were on board the plane. “While we mobilize to support the families and crews directly affected by this incident, we are also sending strength to all first responders doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety,” union president Sara Nelson said.
Jan 30, 2025 10:23 AM IST
D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), who said she is monitoring the crash, has stressed that the focus is on the “rescue mission” right now. “Then, we must get to the bottom of how this happened and protections we must put in place so this never happens again,” she added in her statement.
Jan 30, 2025 10:12 AM IST
Jan 30, 2025 10:09 AM IST
Jan 30, 2025 10:07 AM IST
Jan 30, 2025 10:04 AM IST
Jan 30, 2025 10:02 AM IST
People familiar with the situation have reportedly said that multiple bodies have been pulled by police from the Potomac after the crash apparently killed several individuals.
Jan 30, 2025 10:00 AM IST
Jan 30, 2025 9:58 AM IST
In a statement, president Donald Trump said he has been briefed on the “terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport.” “May God Bless their souls,” he said in the statement posted on X by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Trump also thanked first responders and said he would “provide more details as they arise.”
Jan 30, 2025 9:50 AM IST
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash in a statement. While the FAA and NTSB will both investigate the crash, NTSB will be leading the investigation.
