"Tragedy could have been avoided," Donald Trump responded to the plane crash over Washington.

An aviation disaster occurred near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, which could become the deadliest in the U.S. in the past 15 years. An American Airlines passenger plane, operated by PSA Airlines, crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter that was conducting a training flight. There were 64 people on board the aircraft: 60 passengers and 4 crew members.

As reported by The Guardian, the plane operating flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, veered off course after colliding with a military Black Hawk helicopter that was on a training mission. The incident occurred while the aircraft was approaching Ronald Reagan Airport for landing.

Following the crash, rescuers, including dozens of firefighters, conducted diving operations in the river. The Financial Express states that at the time of publication, at least 18 bodies had been found, and there is currently no information about possible survivors.

U.S. President Donald Trump responded to the tragedy, emphasizing that the accident could have been avoided.

“The plane was on a perfect and normal approach path to the airport. The helicopter had been flying straight toward the plane for a long time. IT WAS A CLEAR NIGHT, the plane's lights were shining brightly, why didn’t the helicopter ascend or descend, or turn? Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do, instead of asking if it sees the plane? This is a bad situation that looks like it could have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!,” the U.S. president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

This was one of the most serious aviation disasters in the U.S. in recent years, and an investigation has already begun. All departures and arrivals at the airport were suspended until Thursday morning.

Let us remind you, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 21 to ensure the safety of Americans in aviation. The order states that during the leadership of the U.S. under Joe Biden, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) within the Department of Transportation specifically hired individuals with serious deficiencies that could affect their ability to perform critical duties.

“Illegal and discriminatory hiring based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), including on the basis of race, gender, disability, or any other criteria except for passenger safety and the overall quality, competence, and qualifications, harms all Americans who deserve to fly with confidence. It also punishes hardworking Americans who want to serve in the FAA but cannot because they do not have the required disability or skin color,” the order states.

Photo source: American media