King Charles has expressed how âprofoundly shocked and saddenedâ he was following a mid-air collision over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. that left 67 people dead.
In a statement through Buckingham Palace, the monarch said: âMy 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.
âOur hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims. I would also like to pay a particular tribute to the emergency responders who acted so quickly to this horrendous event.â
The collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army military helicopter occurred on 29 January, half a mile away from a runway at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
All 67 people on both aircraft died in the accident and bodies of the victims are still being pulled from the Potomac River. At a news conference held on Friday, it was confirmed that 41 of the bodies have been pulled from the river.
The airliner had departed from Wichita Kansas, and among the passengers were figures skaters and their coaches returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Former world champion Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among those onboard.
© InstagramIn a statement, the organisation said: âWe are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victimsâ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.â
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also shared his condolences, writing: âI am deeply shocked by the tragic scenes coming out of Washington D.C.
© GettyâMy thoughts are with all those on board and their families desperately waiting for news. I pay tribute to the emergency services for their dedicated work in such challenging conditions and I send the UKâs condolences to the United States at this time.â
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and while typically investigations take a year to reach their conclusions, investigators reportedly hope to be able to publish preliminary findings in the next 30 days.
© GettyPresident Donald Trump courted controversy when during a news conference on the crash, he suggested that diversity, equity and inclusion policies may have played a role in the accident.
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