18 bodies recovered from river following aircraft crash near Reagan Nat'l Airport in D.C.

WASHINGTON - Eighteen bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River following the collision of a passenger plane and an Army Blackhawk helicopter near the Reagan National Airport here on Wednesday, local media reported.

No survivors have been pulled out of the river into which the collided aircraft crashed, as rescue efforts are underway, CNN said.

All search-and-rescue efforts currently underway are in the water, where conditions are "dangerous," and will likely take multiple days, CNN quoted D.C. Fire Chief John A. Donnelly as saying.

American Airlines, which operated the ill-fated passenger plane, said in a statement that 60 passengers and four crew members were on board. The airliner has set up a hotline for those with loved ones onboard the plane.

Three soldiers were on board the Blackhawk, CNN reported, citing a US defense official.

US President Donald Trump said in a statement that he had been "fully briefed on the terrible accident" and that he was "monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise".

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on the social platform X that the Pentagon is "actively monitoring" the situation and is "poised to assist if needed".

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in earlier this week, announced on X that he had instructed his department, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to "provide full support" to all responding agencies and authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accidents.

The FAA said that the midair collision occurred around 9 pm EST (0200 GMT Thursday), involving a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and a military Blackhawk helicopter, and that all takeoffs and landings from the airport have been halted until 11 am (1600 GMT) on Thursday.