Trump points to pilot errors in the case of severe aircraft accident in D.C.

Trump points to pilot errors in the case of severe aircraft accident in D.C.

in Washington, D.C. Today there was a devastating aircraft accident, in which a passenger plane with 64 people collided on board with a US military helicopter. The tragic event happened over the Potomac River. A Bombardier CRJ700 from American Airlines, which came from Wichita, Kansas, crashed after the collision. On board there were figure skaters, trainers and relatives who returned from a training camp. At first CBS reported 18 dead, but official figures are still pending. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that so far there is no information about survivors and that relatives are looked after at the airport.

In the early Thursday morning, search and rescue measures started, while around 300 firefighters were deployed. The difficult weather conditions with wind, cold and ice make the rescue actions difficult. The webcam recording of the accident shows an explosion in the air before the burning aircraft crashed in the Potomac River.

reactions by political leaders

President Donald Trump commented on the accident by bringing a possible pilot error of the military helicopter into play. He spoke of a "pilot problem" and criticized the air traffic control at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which would have issued late warnings. Trump questioned why the passenger plane and the military helicopter flew in parallel, and emphasized that the crew members of the helicopter "have to see where they fly". The president pointed out that the helicopter could have stopped and several maneuvers could have done to avoid the tragedy.

Minister of Homeland Protection Kristi Noem promised help with the rescue measures and expressed their sympathy for the victims and the emergency services. The misfortune has been classified as the hardest aircraft accident in the United States for almost 16 years and raises questions about air safety.

Current situation and safety aspects

After the incident, the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was closed according to the security protocols, and air traffic is to be resumed late in the morning. At the moment, the FBI has not found any evidence of crime or terrorism, which could make the investigation easier. According to the air traffic safety report 2020, the causes of such accidents are often complex and contain technical failure, human failure or external factors such as weather conditions bmdv.de .

The next few hours will be crucial to collect further information about the victims and the exact circumstances of the accident. The search for possible survivors and securing the accident are currently in the foreground.