Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, shared his reaction on Thursday morning to the tragic mid-air collision between a US Army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane. He called the situation “bad” and said it “looks like it should have been prevented.”
The crash occurred early Thursday as American Airlines Flight 5342, a regional jet flying to Washington, collided with a US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while descending over the Potomac River. As of Thursday morning, at least 18 bodies had been recovered, and the search continued.
Early reports suggest the collision happened after air traffic controllers instructed the plane to land on a shorter runway. Moments before the crash, the helicopter crew reported they had visual contact with the plane but failed to maintain a safe distance, leading to the deadly crash.
The Black Hawk helicopter was on a training mission with three soldiers on board, all of whom are presumed to have died. The passenger plane had 60 passengers and four crew members.
The crash led to a massive search-and-rescue operation with over 300 responders involved. Boats searched the Potomac River, while air traffic at Reagan National Airport was temporarily suspended. Authorities called the operation “highly complex,” and efforts to locate more victims continued.
Air traffic recordings revealed the tense moments before the collision, as controllers repeatedly instructed the helicopter to keep a safe distance from the jet. Witnesses from nearby planes described seeing flares and debris scattering across the river. Trump expressed his thoughts about the tragedy on his Truth Social platform, emphasizing the seriousness of the incident.
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. 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 looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” the president continued.
