Emergency services rushed to the scene (Image: AP)
A pilot from a nearby aircraft was the first to witness the catastrophic explosion of an plane carrying 60 passengers “Tower, did you see that? ” the pilot exclaimed over the air traffic radio just moments following the collision.
The was in the process of landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport close to , which led to an extensive search-and-rescue operation along the Potomac River. Onboard the Blackhawk were 3 soldiers at the time of the incident, while the American Airlines plane had four crew members.
Another pilot in the vicinity reported, “I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone,” communicating the harrowing scene over the radio. The chilling audio from air traffic control echoed the sentiment: “I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone”.
President has been briefed on the situation, as confirmed by his press secretary. Concurrently, Vice President JD Vance took to the social media platform X, calling on supporters to “offer prayers for all those affected,” reports
Webcam at the Kennedy Center caught an explosion mid-air across the Potomac.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews)
The moment of the collision (Image: X)
The Federal Aviation Administration disclosed that the midair collision happened around 9pm EST. A regional jet departing from Wichita, Kansas, met with disaster as it struck a military Blackhawk helicopter while making its approach to the airport runway.
In the aftermath of the crash, a tense exchange from the air traffic control tower was recorded, with a controller querying the helicopter, “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight,” referring to the passenger aircraft.
American Airlines has acknowledged awareness of reports claiming one of its flights was embroiled in a recent incident, promising to divulge further details as they emerge. A video captured by an observation camera at the Kennedy Center depicted what appeared to be two aircraft merging into a fireball.
The airport’s emergency teams were dispatched to deal with “an aircraft incident on the airfield.”
This event brought back memories of the tragic Air Florida flight disaster on January 13, 1982, which resulted in the deaths of 78 individuals, largely due to adverse weather conditions. A webcam at the Kennedy Center recorded a mid-air explosion over the Potomac, stirring reactions online.