Air Disaster Near the Capital: Collision at Ronald Reagan National

A jet with 60 passengers collided with an Army helicopter during landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport, halting all flights as a rescue operation commenced on the Potomac River. The helicopter, from a training flight, did not respond to air traffic control warnings, leading to the collision on Wednesday.

A passenger jet with 60 people onboard collided with a US Army helicopter during its landing approach at Ronald Reagan National Airport, leading to a massive search and rescue mission on the Potomac River. This incident forced the suspension of all flights at the close proximity airport.

The helicopter involved was a UH-60 Blackhawk on a training mission. It was based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and carried a crew of three soldiers. Despite urgent warnings from air traffic control, there was no recorded response from the helicopter before the tragic crash occurred.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, who witnessed the aftermath, noted the somber atmosphere in the airport terminal. This accident marks the first fatal U.S. commercial airline crash since 2009, when a tragic incident in Buffalo, New York, claimed 50 lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)