Passenger plane and helicopter crash into river after mid-air collision in DC

The American Airlines flight, with 60 passengers and four crew on board, was landing at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when the mid-air collision took place.

The US Army Black Hawk helicopter had three soldiers on board.

Washington crash latest: Follow updates as rescue continues

Both aircraft fell into the Potomac River, after colliding around 9pm local time.

The passenger plane was moments away from landing, having departed from Wichita, Kansas, while the military helicopter was on a training flight.

There are multiple fatalities, according to a source cited by the Associated Press news agency, despite officials at a news conference not announcing any deaths.

US Figure Skating, the national governing body for the sport in the US, said in a statement that several members of its skating community were on the passenger plane.

It said the athletes and coaches were returning home from the national development camp in Kansas.

"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the statement said.

Championship figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov have been named by Russian news agency TASS as two people who were on the plane.

The married couple from Russia won the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994.

Their son Maxim, who competed for the US in singles, is feared to have been with his parents, according to the RIA news agency.

The Kremlin said in a statement on Thursday morning: "Bad news from Washington today. We regret and offer condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in this plane crash."

'Extremely rough' search conditions

Around 300 responders, inflatable boats and multiple helicopters are being used as part of the search and rescue operation.

Washington DC fire chief John Donnelly said the operation is "highly complex" due to "extremely rough conditions".

He said hypothermia is a concern for any possible survivors and first responders as it is currently cold and windy.

In a statement late on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump thanked first responders for their "incredible work", and said he was "monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise".

He added: "May God Bless their souls."

Vice president JD Vance also encouraged followers on social media to "say a prayer for everyone involved".

Kansas senator Roger Marshall added: "When one person dies it's a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it's an unbearable sorrow."

The collision occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the US Capitol.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport would be closed until at least 4pm UK 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 sight", in reference to the passenger aircraft.

"Tower, did you see that?" another pilot is heard saying seconds after the apparent collision.

The US army and the defence department has begun an investigation into the crash.

Pete Hegseth, who was sworn in as defence secretary only days ago, said it had been started "immediately".

The last major crash involving a commercial plane in the US was in 2009, when all 49 people aboard a Colgan Air flight died when it crashed in New York state.

-SKY NEWS