The heartbreaking midair collision of an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday night likely claimed 67 lives – 64 on the commercial flight and three on the military chopper.
Prior to Wednesday’s tragedy, the last commercial air catastrophe came in February of 2009 when a Continental Airlines jet crashed into a house in Buffalo killing the 49 onboard along with one person on the ground.
On Thursday morning, officials pledged to get to the bottom of the disaster.
“We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas,” President Trump told reporters assembled at the White House.
Over the last half-century, flying has become increasingly safer, statistically speaking. Back in the 1970s, there were six fatal commercial flights for every 165,000. Until Wednesday night, that ratio had dropped to one fatal flight for every two million.
That commercial airline crashes are so shocking and rare demonstrates just how far the world has come with the science of flight itself.
Many prominent and educated people declared flight an impossibility until the Wright Brothers successfully demonstrated otherwise.
In 1895, Lord Kelvin, president of the Royal Society, concluded that “heavier than air flying machines are impossible.” In 1901, the United States Navy called the idea of man flying to be a “vain fantasy.” Two years later, The New York Times suggested it would take millions of years of mathematical calculations to figure out what it would take to put a machine in the air.
As Christians, we believe that man’s ability to discover and innovate comes from God. After all, He is the ultimate Creator, and since we’re made in His image (Genesis 1:27), it follows that He allows us to blaze all kinds of previously untrekked paths – including the skies.
Reports are beginning to emerge concerning who were on the flight.
U.S. Figure Skating has confirmed that “several” members were passengers on the American Airlines jet.
“We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” the association said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together.”
Russian figure skaters were also reported to have been onboard.
At the Broadmoor Hotel here in Colorado Springs, there is a “Skate Bench” memorializing the members of the U.S. World Figure Skating team who died in a plane crash on February 15, 1961 in Brussels, Belgium.
En route to the World Figure Skating Championships, Sabena Flight 548, the entire 18 member team was lost in the tragedy, along with 54 other people.
The bench is positioned in front of where the Broadmoor Ice Arena once stood, where the skaters honed their extraordinary skills and routines.
“The death of a beloved is an amputation,” wrote C.S. Lewis. “Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.”
Writing on Facebook on Thursday morning, Virginia governor Glenn Younkin urged:
“Today, we grieve together for the families facing unimaginable loss. Let’s pray for them, support, and ensure they know they are not alone in this terrible tragedy.”
In the coming days, we will read stories of those lost in the horror, extraordinary lives cut short, all important, each one unique and beautiful.
We pray for the hurting and the heartbroken, asking for mercy and comfort for all those who grieve.
Image from Shutterstock.
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