An American Airlines plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military helicopter during its approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, in an incident that has triggered a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River. Authorities did not provide details on the number of bodies found, although multiple fatalities were reported. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated at a press conference that the priority was to recover the fellow citizens.
According to a retired U.S. Air Force officer, Colonel Carlos 'Panther' Quiñones, the military helicopter pilots were responsible for the incident. Quiñones pointed out that if the helicopter pilots had visual contact with the commercial plane, they should have taken evasive action to avoid the collision. If it is confirmed that they had visual contact, the responsibility would lie with the helicopter. The colonel emphasized the importance of proper communication and evasive action in these cases to prevent accidents.
In the midst of the search for possible survivors, all departures and landings at the nearby airport were suspended while rescue teams worked in the area. Images of the river showed fragments of the airplane and boats surrounding the area where a section of the fuselage was partially submerged. Uncertainty about the cause of the accident persisted, while helicopters from various police agencies participated in the search operation.
Controversy also arose from comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who speculated on the possibility that the plane's pilots could not avoid the collision. Colonel Quiñones responded, deeming these statements irresponsible and emphasizing the importance of letting experts conduct their investigations. In contrast, authorities focused their efforts on the search and rescue of possible survivors in a situation that has unfortunately claimed several lives.
