King Charles ‘shocked and saddened’ by Washington Plane crash

King Charles III has released a heartfelt statement following the tragic plane crash in Washington DC, which claimed the lives of 67 people.

The disaster occurred when a passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air, leaving no survivors.

Embed from Getty Images

His Majesty said that: ‘my family and I have been profoundly shocked and saddened by the dreadful news of the tragic air accident in Washington, DC, which has led to such a devastating loss of life’.

‘Our hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest possible sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims’

The King has issued a statement following the Washington DC plane crash. (Defence Imagery).

On the evening of 29th January, a catastrophic mid-air collision occurred over the Potomac River near Washington DC, involving American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The tragedy resulted in the loss of all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft, marking the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 2001.

American Eagle Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ-701ER operated by PSA Airlines, was on its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after departing from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas. Concurrently, the Black Hawk helicopter, operated by the 12th Aviation Battalion, was conducting a routine night training exercise. At approximately 8:47 p.m. ET, the two aircraft collided mid-air, causing both to crash into the Potomac River.

Among the 64 passengers and crew on Flight 5342 were several notable individuals, including 14 people from the US figure staking community and military personnel.

Embed from Getty Images

Preliminary investigations suggest that the Black Hawk helicopter deviated from its assigned flight path, leading to the collision. The helicopter was not where it was supposed to be.

Additionally, concerns have been raised about air traffic control operations. Reports indicate that a single air traffic controller was managing both aircraft at the time of the crash, an arrangement deemed ‘not normal’ for that time of day at Reagan National Airport. Typically, two controllers handle such duties until 9:30 p.m., but on that night, only one was present, as the other had left early.

In the aftermath, global figures have expressed their condolences. King Charles conveyed his profound shock and sadness, extending sympathy to the families of the victims and commending emergency responders for their swift actions.

Share this

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.