American Airlines flight collides with helicopter near Washington's Reagan Airport, casualties feared

May God Bless their souls,

he said in the statement posted to X by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt

My prayer is that God wraps his arms around each and every victim and that he continues to be with their families,

Marshall added in his post

While we don’t yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities,

Senator Ted Cruz wrote on X/Twitter

We ask the public in this area to please stand by for guidance from law enforcement and allow them to do their jobs as they attempt to save lives,

Leavitt 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,

the agency said

Confirmed small aircraft down in Potomac River vicinity Reagan National Airport. Fireboats on scene,

Washington’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department said on X shortly after 9 p.m.

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,

Marshall wrote

There is no confirmed information on casualties at this time,

the statement said

I’ve seen the reports of a collision with a D.C. helicopter and an inbound flight from Wichita, KS.”

The other senator representing Kansas, Roger Marshall, said on X

PSA was operating Flight 5342 as American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas,

the FAA said

All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open,

Reagan National Airport said in a post on social media