Washington, 30 January 2025 (dpa/MIA) - A regional aircraft believed carrying 64 people crashed with a US Army helicopter near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport late on Wednesday.

"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," the FAA said in a brief statement.

The crash took place at around 9 pm (0200 GMT Thursday), it said.

"PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas," the statement continued, adding that the FAA would take part in an investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

American Airlines said that the plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members.

The Pentagon meanwhile confirmed that the helicopter involved in the collision was "an Army UH-60 helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia."

US broadcaster CNN cited Joint Task Force-National Capital Region media chief Heather Chairez as saying that the aircraft was a Black Hawk on a training flight at the time of the incident.

The Washington police department said that multiple agencies were "coordinating a search and rescue operation in the Potomac river." It added that there was no initial information on casualties as of about 10 pm.

The crash occurred amid freezing temperatures in Washington, with parts of the Potomac River covered in ice.

Reagan Airport on Wednesday evening said that all takeoffs and landings have been halted.

US President Donald Trump said in a statement released by the White House that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible accident that just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God bless their souls."

Trump said he was monitoring the situation and would provide more details as they arise.

Newly sworn-in Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X that he has directed his agency to "provide full support to the
@NTSB and all responding agencies and authorities."

He also said that has spoken to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, and NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy "to offer our agency's complete assistance."