Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Jan 31: A tragic midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday has once again raised concerns about aviation safety in the country. The accident occurred over the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, around 9 pm ET.

The American Airlines aircraft, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was preparing to land when it collided with the military helicopter, which had three people on board. Officials have confirmed that no survivors are expected from the crash.

The incident marks the first fatal disaster involving a US commercial aircraft since 2009, when a propeller plane crashed into a house near Buffalo, New York, claiming 50 lives.
Reagan Washington National Airport has witnessed several close calls in recent years. Last April, a Southwest Airlines plane nearly crossed the runway while a JetBlue flight was taking off. A month later, an American Airlines jet narrowly avoided a collision with a small aircraft.

Such incidents are part of the 1,757 “runway incursions” recorded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2024. These occurrences range from minor intrusions to severe situations where collisions were narrowly averted.

With this latest disaster, experts and officials are once again calling for stricter safety measures and enhanced monitoring to prevent such catastrophic accidents in the future.