Watch: Trump speaks on plane crash after officials announce that all passengers and crew members are feared dead

The Federal Aviation Administration said a passenger jet and a Blackhawk helicopter collided midair as the plane was on the approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport just outside of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.

Sixty-four passengers and crew were on board the passenger jet and three people were onboard the Blackhawk U.S. Army helicopter, according to city and federal officials who spoke at a press conference several hours after the crash.

During a later press conference on Thursday morning, D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly said that all passengers and crew members are believed to be dead.

“At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” he said, noting that rescue crews have recovered “27 bodies from the plane and one body from the helicopter,” per The Washington Post.

President Donald Trump is expected to speak on the incident at 9 a.m. MST on Thursday.

Plane crash updates

The FAA released a statement Wednesday that said, “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.”

Emergency crews from Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland responded to try to rescue and recover passengers from the Potomac River, according to officials and the Washington, D.C., police department.

The FAA closed runways at the airport after the incident.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will reopen at 9 a.m. MST on Thursday.

Newly-sworn in Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was at FAA headquarters monitoring the situation on Wednesday night, and then joined other officials at a press conference.

Trump released a statement late Wednesday that said, “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God bless their souls. 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.”

A video reportedly taken near the Kennedy Center appeared to show the two aircraft colliding midair.

Both U.S. senators from Kansas posted on X that they had heard a passenger flight from Kansas was affected.

“Learning that a plane inbound from Kansas was involved in a crash at DCA. I am in contact with authorities.Please join me in praying for all involved,” wrote Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran.

“I’ve seen the reports of a collision with a D.C. helicopter and an inbound flight from Wichita, KS. We are in contact with authorities working to get answers. We ask you to join us in prayer for every single passenger and their families,” Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said.

The senators also appeared at the press conference, where they expressed sympathy for the family members of the people aboard the passenger jet.

Officials have since announced that plane crash victims include competitive figure skaters who had been in Wichita, Kansas, for the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

“About 20 of the passengers were competitive figure skaters or coaches, numbering around one-third of those on board,” The Washington Post reported.

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