President Bola Tinubu has expressed his sorrow for the people who perished in the Wednesday night air tragedy that occurred in the Potomac neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in the United States.
The president sent Nigeria’s sympathies to the United States, the victims, and their families in light of the unfortunate flight disaster.
In what was expected to be the deadliest US aviation accident in over 25 years, officials said all 64 people on board an American Airlines plane were believed dead after it collided with an Army helicopter.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Washington,” Tinubu wrote on his verified X handle as he expressed his sorrow for the victims.
The president expressed Nigeria’s deepest condolences to the American people and everyone impacted by the tragic incident. He also gave the emergency response teams credit for acting bravely and quickly in trying circumstances.
“I applaud the bravery of emergency teams and first responders for their selfless work in difficult circumstances,” he said.
Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for the United States, highlighting the two countries’ shared sorrow and expressing optimism for recovery and fortitude in the wake of the catastrophe.
“Nigeria is united in grief and hopeful for a new day, standing in solidarity with the United States government and its people,” he continued.
However, according to AP, the chopper reportedly flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday as it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, resulting in the removal of at least 28 bodies from the icy waters of the Potomac River. There were four crew members and sixty passengers on the aircraft. The helicopter carried three soldiers.
The nation’s capital’s fire chief, John Donnelly, stated, “We don’t think there are any survivors.” Donnelly continued, “We are now at the point where we are transitioning from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
First responders were investigating a portion of the Potomac River as far south as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) south of the airport, after discovering the plane upside-down in three portions in waist-deep water, according to Donnelly. The wreckage of the helicopter was also discovered.
Although officials stated flying conditions were clear as the jet landed from Wichita, Kansas, carrying Russian and American figure skaters among others, there was no immediate news on the reason of the incident. At the moment of the collision, it was getting ready for a standard landing.
“It collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach on its final approach into Reagan National,” stated Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines. “We don’t currently know why the military aircraft entered the aircraft’s path,” Isom stated.
The last minutes of the aircraft before the incident, including its communication with air traffic controllers, will be attempted to be pieced together by investigators.
However, President Donald Trump criticized Joe Biden for bringing politics into his crash response and questioned the role of air traffic control and the helicopter pilot.
Trump responded, “Because I have common sense and unfortunately a lot of people don’t,” when asked why he thought DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) were to blame. This is what we want bright individuals to do. This is the pinnacle of major chess competitions.
Additionally, officials “will be giving (the list of passenger names) very soon,” according to Donald Trump. “I will be announcing the other nationalities that were on board the American Airlines plane in a couple of hours,” he added.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in a video statement on Thursday that the army helicopter crew that was involved in the plane-helicopter crash was “fairly experienced.” “They did have night vision goggles,” Hegseth stated, referring to the flight as a “annual proficiency training flight.”
When the American Airlines flight struck the Army helicopter, a number of its members were on board, according to confirmation from the Boston Skating Club. “We believe six of the skaters, coaches, and parents on the plane were from The Skating Club of Boston,” stated Doug Zeghibe, the club’s CEO, in an Instagram statement. We are in utter shock and are at a lost for words.
The presence of figure skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova was also verified by the Kremlin. According to UK’s The Guardian, the married couple lived in the US and won the world titles in pairs figure skating in 1994.
Trump went back to attacking Joe Biden and Barack Obama politically over air traffic controller standards after stating that “we have very strong opinions and ideas” about how the disaster occurred. “The term talented.” You must be gifted geniuses by nature.
ALSO READ:
NNPC And Partners Start Building $500 Million Mini-LNG Plants In Ajaokuta
