US President Donald Trump conveyed his condolences and praised first responders after a mid-air collision between a passenger jet and an army black hawk helicopter near Washington DC‘s Ronald Reagan Airport on Wednesday night.
“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise,” Trump said in a statement.
The crash, which took place around 9pm local time over the Potomac River, resulted in multiple fatalities, law enforcement sources confirmed.
Several bodies have been recovered, and no survivors have been found so far, according to ABC news.
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking on Fox News, said Trump had been made aware of the situation and that early reports indicated a mid-air collision between a military helicopter and a regional passenger jet.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the civilian aircraft as American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 operated by PSA Airlines, which was arriving from Wichita, Kansas.
The military aircraft, a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk, was based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and was on a training mission at the time.
US president is closely monitoring the situation as search and rescue efforts continue.
The White House has also pledged full support to emergency responders and investigators working to determine the cause of the collision.