An PSA Airlines passenger flight collided midair with an Army helicopter and crashed into a river while on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday. There was no immediate word on casualties. However, 60 passengers were scheduled to be on the jet, airline sources said.
All takeoffs and landings from the airport near Washington have been halted in the wake of the incident, officials said.
The flight had departed from Wichita in Kansas. According to the website of American Airlines, which owns the PSA airlines, the crashed jet has a capacity for up to 65 passengers.
A US Army official confirmed that one of its helicopters was involved in the crash.
US Senator Ted Cruz said there were fatalities in the incident. "While we don’t yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities," he tweeted.
American Airlines said that it was aware of the incident.
"We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available," the airline said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said they have launched a probe and National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering more information on the incident.
