Plane crash in Washington: "Unfortunately, there are no survivors," two dogs among the victims

Search efforts to recover the victims' bodies continued throughout the day on Thursday, January 30, 2025, along the shores of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. (United States), following a collision between a passenger plane carrying 64 people, including two dogs, and a military helicopter. According to President Donald Trump, there are no survivors among the passengers, crew, or animals on board.

THE ESSENTIALS

• A passenger plane carrying 64 people, including two dogs, crashed after colliding with a military helicopter carrying 3 people on Wednesday around 9:00 PM (U.S. time, 3:00 AM in France). The crash occurred over Washington, the U.S. federal capital.

• Dozens of bodies, including those of the two dogs, have been recovered. Search operations continue to locate the remaining victims. President Donald Trump confirmed there are no survivors.

• According to Pete Hegseth, the new Secretary of Defense, a "mistake" was made by the helicopter during the crash.

LIVE UPDATES: TWO DOGS AMONG VICTIMS IN WASHINGTON PLANE CRASH

8:15 PM | The deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in over 20 years

67 people, including two dogs, lost their lives in the collision between the passenger plane and the military helicopter, making this the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States in over two decades. In November 2021, an American Airlines plane crashed shortly after takeoff from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, resulting in 265 fatalities.

8:00 PM | France expresses its "deep sadness"

In a statement published on its website, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to the tragedy: "France expresses its deep sadness following the collision between a passenger plane and a U.S. military helicopter on the night of January 29 to 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C., which claimed dozens of lives, including two dogs." The statement added: "France extends its sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to the owners of the animals, and expresses its solidarity with the U.S. authorities and people."

6:37 PM | Former Transportation Secretary calls Trump's reaction "abhorrent"

While the U.S. president openly criticized the policies of his predecessors, blaming them for lowering aviation safety standards, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called Trump's reaction "abhorrent.""We prioritized safety, reduced near-miss incidents, improved air traffic control, and had no fatal commercial airline accidents over millions of flights under our watch," Pete Buttigieg stated on X.

6:15 PM | A "mistake" during the helicopter's training mission

According to Pete Hegseth, the new Secretary of Defense, the collision occurred during a routine training mission for the helicopter, but a "mistake was made" during the exercise.

5:36 PM | Was the helicopter at fault?

Donald Trump criticized the helicopter's trajectory, calling it "incredibly poor," and insisted that "this tragedy should not have happened." "The helicopter could have climbed, descended, or turned, but it did not do what it was supposed to. It did the opposite of what it was told," the president explained. "I don’t know if it had time to react."

This tragedy, which claimed the lives of passengers, crew members, and two dogs, raises critical questions about aviation safety and flight protocols, particularly regarding the transport of animals. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact causes of this devastating collision.