Washington DC [US], January 30 : US President Donald Trump expressed grief over the loss of lives in the plane crash near Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC calling it a "devastating moment" in the nation's history.
Acknowledging the impact on families across the United States and abroad, including Russian nationals on board, he assured that efforts would be made to determine the cause of the disaster and prevent such incidents in the future.
Addressing a press briefing on the aviation disaster, Trump said, "Sadly, there are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history and a tragedy of terrible proportions as we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly. This is really shaking a lot of people, including people from other nations."
"We had a Russian contingent (on plane), some very talented people. Unfortunately, they were on that plane and we are very sorry about that. We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas. We will find out how this disaster occurred and we will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again," Trump added.
The US President further affirmed that his administration will set the "highest possible bar" for aviation safety.
He further said, "On behalf of the First Lady, myself and 340 million Americans, our hearts are shattered alongside yours and our prayers are with you now and in the days to come, we will be working very diligently. My administration will set the highest possible bar for aviation safety. We have to have the smartest people -- it doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are."
During the briefing, Trump also criticised the Biden administration's aviation policies, arguing that his own leadership had prioritised safety over politics.
"I put safety first, Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first and they put politics at a level that nobody's ever seen. Their policy was horrible and their politics was even worse," Trump said.
Earlier in the day, the US authorities confirmed that they no longer expect to find any survivors, and efforts have shifted to a recovery mission, according to DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly, according to a report by CNN.
A press briefing was held at Reagan National Airport, where Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed the deadly collision involving an American Airlines passenger plane carrying 64 people and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers on board.
"We are now at a point where we're switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," Donnelly said in a news conference on Thursday.
Donnelly confirmed that recovery teams had retrieved 28 bodies from the passenger jet and one from the military helicopter.
A mid-air collision occurred between a American Airlines plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, DC on Wednesday night. The collision resulted in both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River.
The aircraft involved in the collision included American Airlines Flight 5342, a regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members on board. The flight had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching the airport when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter on a training mission.
The three soldiers aboard the helicopter were also confirmed dead. As of the latest reports, the wreckage from both the plane and the helicopter was found submerged in the icy waters of the Potomac River.