There are likely no survivors from a collision between a passenger jet and US Army helicopter in Washington DC, officials said on Thursday, as recovery operations pulled 28 bodies from the Potomac River into which both crashed.

"At this point we don't believe there are any survivors," Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly told a news conference at Reagan National Airport, outside the US capital. "We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation."

Donnelly said 27 bodies were recovered from the plane and one from the helicopter. (AFP)