(OSV News) — U.S. Catholic bishops — joined by Pope Francis — are calling for prayer after a deadly aviation crash in the nation’s capital claimed dozens of lives.
“Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Washington today join men and women of good will here and around the world in praying for those who perished in last night’s heartbreaking accident,” Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, the retired archbishop and current apostolic administrator of the archdiocese, said in a Jan. 30 statement.
The Jan. 29 midair collision between a regional jet operated by American Airlines and a U.S. military helicopter took place over the Potomac River at approximately 9 p.m.
All on both aircraft are presumed dead.
American Eagle Flight 5342 — which originated in Wichita, Kansas — had been preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and carried 60 passengers and four crew members on board. The helicopter involved in the collision, a UH-60 Black Hawk assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, contained three troops on a routine training flight.
The initial rescue operation was soon declared a recovery effort, with first responders and dive crews battling the Potomac’s icy waters to retrieve the bodies. The incident remains under investigation by multiple agencies led by the National Transportation Safety Board and including the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army.
“We praise God for the generous assistance of our courageous first responders,” Cardinal Gregory said in his statement. “May this disaster serve as an impetus to strengthen our unity and collaboration.”
A call to unite in prayer
In a Jan. 30 post on the X social media platform, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, asked people to be “united in prayer for all those tragically impacted by the accident.”
“May we be united in prayer for all those tragically impacted by the accident near Reagan airport,” Bishop Burbidge, whose diocese borders the Potomac, said in his post. “We ask God to embrace them in his love; to grant strength to their families; and to watch over all first responders.”
According to the Arlington Diocese, Bishop Burbidge scheduled a 12:05 p.m. liturgy — carried also via livestream — at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington to pray for the victims.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in a statement issued Jan. 30 “on behalf of the clergy and faithful” of the archdiocese prayed for those “who tragically perished” in the crash and expressed “prayerful solidarity” with the families of all the victims.
“May Almighty God grant them peace and serenity and consolation to those left behind,” he said. “Reagan National Airport is a very familiar place to me. This tragedy strikes very close to home.”
Shortly after the crash, Bishop Carl A. Kemme of Wichita, Kansas, posted on Facebook that he was “praying for all involved” in the disaster.
“It is sobering to think that I and two other priests were on this very flight one week ago on our way to DC for the … March for life,” Bishop Kemme said. “May God bring divine assistance to everyone involved.”
In Jan. 30 comments at the White House, President Donald Trump said the country is in mourning and acknowledged the incident has left many people shaken.
“This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history, and a tragedy of terrible proportions,” he said.
“As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us, so suddenly,” he said.
Pope Francis and local officials react
In a Jan. 30 telegram to Trump, Pope Francis expressed his “spiritual closeness” to victims and their families and commended the souls of the departed to God’s loving mercy.
“I likewise pray for those involved in the recovery efforts, and invoke upon all in the nation the divine blessings of consolation and strength,” he said.
During a Jan. 30 media briefing, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu thanked local faith leaders who “showed up last night and prayed over” the city’s council after the disaster. Her voice choked with emotion as Wu shared that city officials confirmed there were no survivors.
“This is a terrible tragedy that will unite those in Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas, forever,” she said.
Local media, citing a statement from the city, reported the Greater Wichita Ministerial League organized a prayer service at Wichita’s City Hall on Jan. 30 at noon.
While the victims’ names have not yet been revealed, U.S. Figure Skating, the sport’s governing body, told media that several passengers on the commercial aircraft were young figure skaters returning from a training camp in Wichita. Russian state media reported that several of the skaters were Russian nationals.
