What we know so far about Washington DC plane crash

A rider level carrying 64 passengers and unit has crashed into a stream successful Washington DC aft it collided successful mid-air with a US Army helicopter.

Eighteen bodies person been pulled from the Potomac River truthful far, wherever hunt and rescue teams are scouring the waters successful freezing temperatures, according to the BBC's broadcast partner, CBS.

US authorities are investigating and the adjacent Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has grounded each flights.

Here is what we cognize truthful acold astir the incident:

At astir 21:00 section clip (02:00 GMT) connected Wednesday, a PSA Airlines pitchy operating arsenic American Airlines 5432 collided with a US Army chopper arsenic it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The rider plane, a Bombardier CRJ700, departed from Wichita, Kansas and was carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew, according to American Airlines.

The Pentagon said the chopper progressive was a Sikorsky H-60 that took disconnected from Fort Belvoir successful Virginia. Three US soldiers were connected board, according to CBS.

The FAA said it would analyse the incident, unneurotic with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

There has been nary authoritative connection connected casualties. However, CBS reported that 18 bodies person been pulled from the water.

Early reports connected US media said the rider level could beryllium seen divided successful fractional connected the Potomac River, portion the chopper was upside down successful the water.

Police and occurrence section person been searching the h2o for survivors successful freezing temperatures, with constabulary boats assisting, CBS News reported.

The hunt and rescue could beryllium seen from Ronald Reagan Airport, which is adjacent the river.

Ari Schulman told NBC Washington that helium saw the level clang portion driving connected the George Washington Parkway, which runs on the airport.

He said the plane's attack looked normal, until helium saw the craft slope hard to the right, with "streams of sparks" moving underneath, illuminating its belly.

At that point, helium said helium knew that it looked "very, precise wrong". Having seen level landings determination successful the past, helium said a plane's underside should not person been disposable successful the dark.

The sparks, helium said, resembed a "giant roman candle" and went from the plane's chemoreceptor to its tail.

Jimmy Mazeo said helium saw the clang portion having meal with his woman astatine a parkland adjacent the airport.

He recalled seeing what looked similar a "white flare" successful the sky. He said planes flying into Ronald Reagan Airport appeared to person been flying successful "irregular patterns".

Mr Mazeo said helium did not deliberation overmuch of what helium saw until exigency services started arriving astatine the scene.

President Donald Trump said helium had been afloat briefed connected the the "terrible accident" and that helium was monitoring the concern closely.

"May God Bless their souls," helium said successful a statement.

"Thank you for the unthinkable enactment being done by our archetypal responders," helium said.

Vice-President JD Vance asked for prayers for those who were successful the incident.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, whose appointments were conscionable precocious confirmed, besides said they were monitoring the situation.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed his "deep sorrow" astir the collision successful a video which has been posted to the airline's website.