President Lai expresses sympathy to U.S. following midair collision

Taipei, Jan. 30 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday offered condolences to the families of those who were killed or injured following the midair collision of a passenger jet and a military helicopter near Washington D.C. on Wednesday evening (local time).

On social media platform X, Lai wrote in English: "Our thoughts are with the American people following the tragic air collision near Washington, DC."

"We send our sincere condolences to the victims' families and pray for swift and effective search and rescue operations," he said.

An American Airlines passenger plane crashed into the Potomac River near Washington after colliding midair with a military Blackhawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

The carrier told AFP that 60 passengers and four crew members were on the aircraft flying in from Wichita, Kansas. The U.S. Army said three soldiers were on the military helicopter.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that all takeoffs and landings from the airport had been halted for the search and rescue operations, with dive teams scouring the site and helicopters flying over the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the collision occurred around 9 p.m., Wednesday (local time).

However, officials offered few details regarding the victims during a press briefing at the airport in the early hours of Thursday.

In a post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump questioned the tactics of the military helicopter and the air traffic controllers, according to AP.

"Why didn't the helicopter go up or down or turn," and "Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane," Trump asked.