All 67 persons on board an American Airlines aircraft have died in a catastrophic midair collision with a U.S. Army helicopter close to Washington, D.C. A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three troops was struck by American Airlines Flight 5342, which was trying to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport with 60 passengers and four crew members on board.
The incident, one of the deadliest aviation accidents in U.S. history, occurred on Wednesday evening. Washington, D.C., Fire Chief John Donnelly confirmed that rescue efforts have transitioned to a recovery operation, stating, “At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident.”
The president expressed his condolences, stating, “There are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and our nation’s history.”
The nation mourns the loss of life in this tragic event.
