What we know about the midair collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and passenger jet over the Potomac River

A passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair Wednesday and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., officials said. 

The plane, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, CBS News learned. There were three soldiers aboard the Sikorsky H-60, a Defense Department official told CBS News.

At least 18 bodies were recovered Wednesday night as the search for survivors continued.

Here’s what we know so far about the crash.

What happened?

A PSA Airlines plane, operated by American Airlines, collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter at around 9 p.m. Wednesday while approaching a runway at Reagan National Airport, the FAA said. The plane had taken off from Wichita, Kansas.

The helicopter involved in the collision was on a training flight and had belonged to B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia, Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media chief Heather Chairez told CBS News.

A livestream camera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., captured the moment of the collision. The video, which has been verified by CBS News, shows an explosion in the area of the Potomac River at 8:47 p.m.

What we know about the victims and the search for survivors

As of 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, an official said at least 18 bodies had been recovered from the river, which contained three debris fields. The official said no survivors had been found so far.

A police official said that police boats and divers were searching the water for survivors.

Politicians react to the crash

President Trump said in a statement he had been fully briefed on the crash. “May God Bless their souls,” he said. “Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”

And in a Truth Social post, he questioned what led up to the crash, writing,”This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”

Newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on social media that the Pentagon was actively monitoring the situation and “poised to assist if needed.” 

Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said in a statement, “Tonight, we received devastating news of what can only be described as nothing short of a nightmare … My prayer is that God wraps his arms around each and every victim, and that he continues to be with their families.”

Alexandria, Virginia, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said on social media, “Earlier this evening, we were devastated to learn of a tragic aviation incident near DCA. Our prayers are with everyone affected. Our fire, police, and emergency personnel are assisting in the regional response.” Alexandria is just south of Reagan Washington National Airport.

The first major U.S. commercial crash in almost 16 years

The last major U.S. commercial air crash occurred in February 2009 when a Continental Airlines flight out of Newark, New Jersey, operated by Colgan Air crashed into a house as it was approaching the airport in Buffalo, New York. That plane was a Bombardier Q400. Forty-nine people died in the tragedy. Continental merged with United Airlines in 2010. 

The last major American Airlines crash occurred in November 2001 near John F. Kennedy International Airport. American Airlines Flight No. 587, an Airbus A300, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 265 people. It was bound for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The plane crashed in the Belle Harbor area of the Rockaways in the New York City borough of Queens. 

contributed to this report.