His Majesty King Charles III has conveyed his profound sorrow and shock following the devastating plane collision near Washington, D.C., which claimed the lives of everyone on board. In an official statement from Buckingham Palace, the monarch expressed heartfelt condolences to the United States and the grieving families affected by this tragedy. He specifically acknowledged the rapid response of emergency personnel, commending their efforts in the face of this horrific event.

The mid-air collision involved an American Airlines regional jet en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan National Airport and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers. The incident, which occurred Wednesday night, resulted in the loss of all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft. The wreckage remains in the Potomac River pending salvage operations, as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances that led to this catastrophic event. This marks the first fatal commercial airline accident in the U.S. since a 2009 crash in Buffalo, New York, claimed 50 lives.

This is not the first time King Charles has offered condolences in the wake of an aviation disaster. In December, he expressed sympathy for the victims of a plane crash in South Korea that resulted in the deaths of 179 people. The royal family has experienced its own share of tragic losses, including the deaths of Princess Diana in a 1997 car accident and Lord Louis Mountbatten in a 1979 IRA bombing. Aviation-related tragedies have also touched the royal family, with the deaths of Prince George, Duke of Kent, in a 1942 plane crash and Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, in a 1972 air show accident. Both Prince Philip and King Charles himself learned to fly during their military service, while Princes William and Harry served as helicopter pilots.

King Charles' own flying experience includes a 1994 incident in Scotland where he overshot a runway after a tire blew out on a small plane. He subsequently relinquished his pilot's license the following year.