During a press briefing, DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly stated, “We are now transitioning from a rescue operation to a recovery mission. At this stage, we do not believe there are any survivors from this crash.”

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy mentioned that the plane had been broken into three parts and that the search efforts would continue on January 30 for the sake of the American people.

Duffy also confirmed that both aircraft were following their “standard flight paths” before the collision, adding that “it’s not uncommon for a military aircraft to be flying along the river while planes are landing at DCA.”

What We Know So Far About the American Airlines Crash

What Caused the American Airlines Crash?

The cause of the crash remains undetermined, and the investigation is ongoing. The black boxes from both the helicopter and the plane will be crucial in understanding what led to the tragic collision. So far, it is known that the crash occurred when the passenger plane and the military helicopter collided as the plane was preparing to land on Runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

What Has American Airlines Said About the Crash?

American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, released a statement addressing the tragedy. He shared that he was en route to Washington, D.C. with a specialized team to assist with the investigation. He said: “This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, and their families and loved ones. I know that there are many questions. At this early stage, I’ll not be able to answer all of them, but I do want to share the information I have at this time.”

What Has Donald Trump Said About the American Airlines Crash?

President Trump weighed in on the incident, calling it a “bad situation” that “should have been prevented.” In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “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? Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!! What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!”