Last night there was a tragic accident over Washington in which an American Airlines passenger plane and a US Army Black Hawk military helicopter collided. The incident occurred near Reagan Washington National Airport, after which both aircraft fell into the Potomac River.
A surveillance camera captured the moment of the crash, showing a flash of light over the Potomac River at around 20:47 p.m. The footage shows the moment of the crash and explosion near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines said there were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the plane. The US military said there were three soldiers on board the helicopter. A massive search and rescue operation involving more than 300 rescuers is underway. At least 18 bodies have been recovered so far, and authorities warn that conditions on the ground are extremely difficult due to low temperatures and poor visibility.
US President Donald Trump expressed belief that the collision could and should have been prevented, raising questions about communication between the control tower and the helicopter crew.
"ZThe aircraft was on a perfect and routine approach line to the airport. The helicopter was heading straight towards the plane for a long time. It was a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were on, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn around? Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane? This is a bad situation that should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” Trump wrote on his social network Truth Social.
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