MONITORING (SW) – An extensive search for bodies in the Potomac River continues after US officials confirmed there were c midair in Washington DC.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has released a statement regarding the Washington crash.
The governor called for the Trump administration to respond to the tragedy with “information and facts” to instill confidence in the nation’s aviation safety.
“Donald Trump is unfit to lead during moments of crisis like this,” Pritzker says.
It comes after Trump suggested past Democratic leaders and initiatives to boost diversity in aviation were to blame for the crash.
The military said the maximum altitude for Route 4 is 200 feet (61 metres) but the military helicopter may have been flying higher.
The collision occurred at an altitude of around 300 feet, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24.
Army secretary nominee Dan Driscoll said the military should rethink training in congested areas. “I think we might need to look at where is an appropriate time to take training risk, and it may not be near an airport like Reagan,” he said.
Airspace is frequently crowded in the US capital region, home to three commercial airports and several major military facilities, and officials have raised concerns about busy runways at Reagan National Airport.
Several near-miss incidents at the airport have sparked alarm, including a near-collision in May 2024.
