Arlington. A passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River.

Authorities have yet to confirm casualties, but all takeoffs and landings at the airport were suspended as law enforcement helicopters and rescue boats combed the scene for survivors. Inflatable boats were launched into the river from the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident, according to his press secretary, while Vice President JD Vance urged social media followers on X to "say a prayer for everyone involved."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the collision occurred around 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet departing from Wichita, Kansas, collided midair with a military Blackhawk helicopter during its approach to the runway.

Audio recordings from the air traffic control tower reveal a controller asking the helicopter pilot, "PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?" referring to the passenger aircraft. Moments later, another pilot can be heard exclaiming, "Tower, did you see that?"

Immediately following the crash, air traffic controllers began diverting other aircraft away from Reagan National.

In a social media post, American Airlines acknowledged reports that one of its flights may have been involved in the collision, pledging to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Video footage from an observation camera at the Kennedy Center captured what appeared to be two aircraft lights converging before erupting into a fireball.

The airport issued a statement confirming emergency crews were responding to "an aircraft incident on the airfield."

The crash is reminiscent of the 1982 Air Florida tragedy, where a jet plunged into the Potomac River during a snowstorm, killing 78 people.

Additional details about the incident remain unknown.

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