Coast Guard ‘deploying every available’ resource for rescue ops in plane crash, says Homeland Security Secy

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Coast Guard is ‘deploying every available’ resource to respond to plane crash near Washington DC. A passenger jet collided with a helicopter while landing at Reagan Washington National Airport in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft.

An @AmericanAir regional jet collided mid-air with an army helicopter near #Reagan #Washington National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed. Search & #rescue operations are underway on the river, officials said. #crash #potomac #washington #cnbctv18digital pic.twitter.com/pYKRhHs3lI

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) January 30, 2025

“We are deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA. We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders. Praying for the victims and first responders,” Noem posted on X.

We are deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA. We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders.

Praying for the victims and first responders.

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 30, 2025

Three US Army soldiers were onboard a BlackHawk helicopter.

No casualties have been reported so far.

All takeoffs and landings from the airport near Washington were halted as helicopters from agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors. Inflatable rescue boats were being launched into the Potomac River from a point near the airport along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport.

The FAA said the midair collision occurred around 9 pm EST when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, smashed into a military Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to an airport runway.

US President Donald Trump said it is a bad situation which could have been prevented.

“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a clear night, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” Trump posted on X.

On January 21, US President Donald Trump moved quickly to remake the Department of Homeland Security, firing the heads of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Coast Guard before their terms are up, and eliminated all the members of a key aviation security advisory group.