Donald Trump questions American Airlines plane crash

President of the United States Donald Trump has reacted in disbelief after an American Airlines plane crashed into Washington DC’s Potomac River after a mid-air collision with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The aircraft dived into the water shortly after hitting the helicopter just before 9:00 p.m. ET. There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the flight, which had come from Wichita in Kansas and was moments away from landing. Three soldiers were in the helicopter, which was reportedly in the midst of a training mission having set out from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly has stated he “doesn’t believe there are any survivors from this accident”. That would mean a death toll of 67.

Reactions have streamed in in the aftermath of the incident, with one man revealing he had received a text from his wife, who was a passenger on board the AA flight, telling him she would soon be landing.

Donald Trump’s full statement on American Airlines crash

Trump took to Truth Social to question how the tragedy could have occurred.

“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!!!

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