A pilot delivered a heartfelt message to reassure nervous passengers following the American Airlines tragedy…
Tragedy struck on Wednesday (January 29) after American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC.
The catastrophic impact sent both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River around 9PM local time.
Officials have confirmed that all 64 passengers on the jet, along with the three soldiers on the helicopter, did not survive the crash.
While the full list of victims has yet to be released, those lost include two former world champion figure skaters, two Chinese nationals, a group of friends returning from a duck-hunting trip, and the crews of both aircraft.
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In the wake of the tragedy, fear and anxiety gripped many travelers across the country.
Sensing the unease, one American Airlines pilot took it upon himself to offer a moving message to comfort anxious passengers on a flight to Miami.
Watch the moment below:
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The pilot told the travelers that he had “no higher call than carefully and professionally transporting you today,” and advised them to “relax” and “enjoy” the view they get to fly in.
Many people took to the comment section to praise the man, with one user writing: “Comforting your passengers before take off. This is the most beautiful thing and kindness.”
Another said: “This guy likely knew the pilots lost on the other plane. Poignant words from a man (and crew) that is experiencing a lot of complicated emotions.”
A third chimed in: “The weight these pilots must carry is immense. Grateful for them & the way they are carrying on when we know this tragedy must hit them hard.”
A fourth added: “What a kind man to do this for the passengers. My husband flew out cross country 9 hours after this tragedy and I know it would have been comforting to hear these words.”
The exact cause of the collision remains unclear, but investigators are working to piece together what led to the deadly crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading the investigation, confirmed that the plane’s flight data and voice recorders – commonly known as black boxes – have been recovered.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suggested that air traffic control staffing at the time of the crash was “not normal,” according to NBC News.
In the wake of the disaster, President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the White House press briefing room on Thursday (January 30) morning and placed blame for the tragedy on DEI initiatives and the Biden administration.
He criticized what he described as an “FAA diversity push [that] includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities,” and claimed that under his leadership, standards for aviation personnel had been strengthened.
“We have to have our smartest people” as air traffic controllers, he said. “It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are.”
“They have to be talented, naturally talented. Geniuses. Can’t have regular people doing their job. We can’t have regular people doing this job. They won’t be able to do it, but we’ll restore faith in American air travel,” he added…
The 78-year-old also took to Truth Social, stating that the tragic crash “should have been prevented.” US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later echoed the sentiment, agreeing that the disaster “absolutely” could have been avoided, per GMA.
