American Airlines jet and military helicopter crash, tragic USCG rescue

An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military helicopter in a horror collision, with officials giving yesterday updates about the incident. The US Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said on Thursday that they are deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA.

An urgent marine information broadcast was issued regarding the incident, and a safety zone has been established, securing all vessel traffic from the Woodrow Willson Bridge heading north along the Potomac River.

“We are actively monitoring the situation and stand ready to support local responders. Praying for the victims and first responders,” Noem noted.

American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines with a CRJ-700.

There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a statement on the incident mentioning that the NTSB will lead the investigation.

“A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time. PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation.”

President Donald Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, he listed what he believed had happened moments before the crash.

He penned: “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. 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.”

He then queried the control tower why the helicopter was not instructed what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane, writing: “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.”

The CEO of American Airlines, Robert Isom, issued a response to the incident as he explained he was travelling to Washington, D.C. with a specialist team to aid the investigation.

In a statement, the CEO said: “This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones.

“I know that there are many questions. At this early stage, I’ll not be able to answer all of them, but I do want to share the information I have at this time.”

Meanwhile, American Airlines said its “concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft assisting with emergency response efforts.”

“We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.”

The US Coast Guard said that it is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies in response to the aircraft collision which occurred Wednesday evening over the Potomac River in Washington.

Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region command center watchstanders received a report at approximately 8:55 p.m. reporting a helicopter and a commercial passenger aircraft collided in the vicinity of Ronald Reagan Airport.

Response boat crews from Coast Guard stations Washington, Curtis Bay, Annapolis, St. Inigoes, Oxford and Crisfield have deployed to the incident to conduct searches in coordination with local partners and enforce a safety zone. Cutters Sailfish, Bruckenthal, Kennebec and Frank Drew are enroute to assist.

Coast Guard pollution crews have mobilized and are pre-staged to respond to any pollution caused by the incident.  

The Coast Guard is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving to coordinate removing the wreckage and restoring the waterways once able to do so.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) also issued a statement about the tragic collision, “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic midair collision involving a PSA Airlines jet operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, and a U.S. Army helicopter near Washington, D.C early this morning.

“This flight was crewed by members of our affiliates, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Our thoughts are with the families of those affected, as we cling to hope for survivors.”