Tragedy struck late on Wednesday night when a devastating air travel incident occurred in Washington D.C., as an army helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane. This catastrophic event caused an explosion, leading to the aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River. The American Airlines flight carried 60 passengers and four crew members, while the army helicopter had three soldiers aboard.
According to ESPN, the plane was returning figure skaters and coaches from a developmental camp following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. U.S. Figure Skating has since released an official statement regarding the incident, confirming that several members of their skating community were tragically aboard American Airlines Flight 5342. However, no individual athletes have been identified at this time.
In their statement, U.S. Figure Skating expressed, “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.” Meanwhile, President Trump took to Truth Social to question why the helicopter didn’t avoid the aircraft, stating, “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?”
It is hoped that the families involved receive all the time they need to grieve during this difficult period.
