A tragic mid-air collision above Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night claimed the lives of 67 individuals, making it the deadliest plane crash in the United States in more than two decades. An American Airlines regional jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter shortly before 9 p.m. ET, leaving no survivors. The helicopter, carrying three soldiers, was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, 64 passengers and crew were aboard the airplane.
Rescue efforts have since transitioned into a recovery operation, with officials confirming that at least 28 bodies have been recovered so far. The collision occurred in a densely populated area, necessitating a swift and coordinated response from emergency services. An investigation is underway to determine the causes of the accident, as authorities seek answers to prevent future tragedies.
As the news broke, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to comment on the incident, raising questions and criticizing former President Joe Biden and Democratic diversity measures.
"This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!" – Donald Trump
The President questioned why the helicopter did not avoid the plane and whether air traffic control failed to instruct the helicopter appropriately.
"tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane" – Donald Trump
Trump suggested that DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives "could have been" to blame for the collision, although details supporting this claim were not provided. Trump was briefed on the "terrible accident" later on Thursday morning.
The response to this disaster has been swift but somber, as recovery teams continue their search amidst challenging conditions. Officials are meticulously piecing together the sequence of events leading up to the collision. The investigation aims not only to uncover what went wrong but also to ensure that similar incidents are prevented in the future.