- The father of a soldier onboard the Army Helicopter which collided with an American Airlines jet has broken his silence
- The heartbroken father shared what he did when he heard of the accident that took the life of his son, Ryan O’Hara
- The helicopter’s collision with an airline jet over the Potomac River is the worst US aviation crash in 16 years
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The father of Ryan O’Hara, a soldier onboard the Army helicopter which crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air crash, has shared how he felt about the incident.
Ryan was identified as one of the three soldiers involved in the mid-air collision of a U.S. Black Hawk Army helicopter and the American Airlines Flight 5342 on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
The soldier’s father thanked first responders. Photo: guvendemir, Andrew Carabello-Reynolds. Stock photoSource: Getty Images
According to People, the other soldiers killed in the crash have been identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves and Capt. Rebecca Lobach.
Authorities believe the crash killed an additional 64 people involved in the crash.
Soldier’s father recounts night of accident
Speaking with CBS News, Ryan’s dad, Gary, said that the soldier had a wife and a one-year-old son.
He recounted what happened on the night of the crash, stating that he texted his son as soon as he heard of the crash, but the message didn’t go through.
Gary added that his son’s wife called him to share her worries, adding that the family wasn’t sure until Army soldiers visited the wife the following morning.
The older man said:
“It’s really like your worst nightmare. Sixty seconds earlier or later, there’s no accident.”
67 involved in plane crash near DC
Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 67 passengers and crew, collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter 400 feet above the Potomac River as it was approaching Reagan National Airport just before 9 pm on January 29, 2025.
The collision resulted in a fireball. Among the dead was a pilot, First Officer Samuel Lilley – who was newly engaged and planning for his wedding.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has since recovered the ‘Black Box’ recorders from both aircraft involved in the crash, which is named the worst aviation disaster in the US in 16 years.
More than 40 bodies have been pulled from the icy waters, with police divers still searching.
Soldier’s father appreciates first responders
In a separate interview with WXIA-TV, Gary said that he watched the footage of his son’s body being recovered, sharing how painful the experience was.
He expressed gratitude to the first responders who helped to recover the body of his son.
His words:
“One thing that I did want to say and thank is all those first responders, the people that sacrificed themselves to jump into that ice cold water, to go through the plane and the wreckage that retrieved our son. There are no words to express our thanks for that. You helped bring our boy home.”
Nigerian aeroplane crash-lands at airport
TheTalk.NG also previously reported that a Max Air flight from Lagos crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on January 28 at 10.57 pm.
A passenger confirmed that the aircraft lost its nose landing gear tyre after touching down, causing it to burst into flames before the plane skidded to a stop.
Emergency responders swiftly evacuated all passengers, with no casualties reported.
Source: TheTalk.NG
