Fatal Collision Between Plane and Helicopter in Washington; Trump: The Situation is 'Bad'

Hours after a small passenger plane collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, at least 300 rescuers are still searching for the bodies of passengers and crew, and for any potential survivors of the incident. The plane was carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members. Reports indicate that there were also three occupants in the helicopter. Rescuers have so far found the bodies of at least 18 people. Meanwhile, the United States Figure Skating Federation confirmed that 'several' athletes from this sport were among the passengers on the plane. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, criticized the performance of the Ronald Reagan Airport control tower on the social media platform 'Truth Social,' stating: 'The plane was on its normal approach to the airport, but the helicopter was flying directly toward the plane for a long time.' He continued, 'The sky was clear and the plane's lights were flashing; why didn't the helicopter ascend, descend, or veer away? Why didn't the control tower ask the helicopter pilot if he saw the plane and tell him what to do?' The President emphasized, 'This is a bad situation that should have been prevented.' In another reaction, Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, expressed sorrow over the 'horrific tragedy' of the plane and helicopter collision. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, on Wednesday evening, February 10, around 9 PM Eastern Time, a passenger plane from American Airlines collided with a military helicopter while approaching the airport runway. The plane's origin was reported to be Wichita Airport in Kansas. The helicopter was also a military Black Hawk model. According to Reuters, American airlines have not experienced a fatal accident since 2009, but have faced several dangerous incidents.