‘Deeply saddened, we stand in solidarity with US’, PM Modi expresses grief on Washington DC plane collision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the tragic plane-helicopter collision in Washington DC, offering solidarity with the people of the United States. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the tragic collision in Washington DC. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. We stand in solidarity with the people of the United States.”

The mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter resulted in no survivors and was the deadliest aviation disaster since 2001. The crash occurred on Wednesday night as the American Airlines flight, carrying 64 people, was approaching Washington’s Reagan National Airport after departing from Wichita, Kansas.

In the final moments before the collision, an air traffic controller had issued instructions to the helicopter, asking if it had the plane in sight, followed by a directive to pass behind the jet. Seconds later, the two aircraft collided mid-air, leading to an urgent radio call from a pilot observing the incident.

A large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately launched with over 300 personnel on-site. Investigators are now focusing on how the collision occurred despite the passenger jet being equipped with collision-avoidance technology and the crowded airspace over Washington DC.