On Jan. 29, 2025, a mid-air collision occurred near Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, resulting in the deaths of all 64 passengers and crew aboard the regional jet and all three military personnel on the Black Hawk.
In response, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. Navy launched extensive search and recovery operations. The USCG deployed multiple vessels and aircraft to conduct search patterns to locate and recover wreckage and potential survivors. The Navy provided additional support with specialized equipment and personnel.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers workboat was deployed to break through ice on the Potomac River to facilitate response efforts.
Media photos show a wide range of marine assets responding, including local police, fire and rescue boat crews, as well as several commercially operated passenger vessels.
The plane's fuselage was discovered inverted and split into three parts in waist-deep water, and the helicopter wreckage was located nearby. By early Thursday morning, around 300 first responders were reported to be on the scene, according to the Associated Press.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the collision, and the the USCG and Navy offering resources and expertise to assist in the investigation.