American Airlines plane crashes in Washington DC after midair collision with Black Hawk helicopter

An American Airlines regional passenger jet has crashed into a military helicopter while attempting to land at Reagan National Airport in Washington. 

Emergency services in the city are searching the Potomac River near the airport following the incident just before 9pm on Wednesday night. 

The airline has confirmed that there was 60 passengers and four crews members onboard Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to the Capital when the collision happened. 

NBC Washington are reporting that at least four people have been pulled to safety by rescue crews from the water.

The Federal Aviation Authority said that the jet, a Bombardier CRJ700, collided with a Sikorksy H-60 Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Runway 33. 

Defense officials have confirmed that the Black Hawk was an Army chopper that was carrying three soldiers at the time.

In audio from the air traffic control tower around the time of the crash, a controller is heard asking the helicopter, ‘PAT25 do you have the CRJ in…