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30 Jan, 17:53

US to facilitate transfer of remains of Russians killed in Washington air crash — Trump

Trump also confirmed that there were Russian nationals among those killed

WASHINGTON, January 30. /TASS/. The US authorities will be ready to facilitate the transfer of the remains of the Russian nationals killed in the recent plane crash in Washington D.C. to their home country, US President Donald Trump said, talking to reporters at the White House.

In response to a TASS question about whether the US authorities would facilitate the transfer in a situation where there was no direct air travel between the two countries, Trump said: "We've already been in contact with Russia, and the answer is yes, we will facilitate."

Trump also confirmed that there were Russian nationals among those killed.

Earlier, an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The American Airlines flight, en route from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. There were at least three service members aboard the helicopter. Upon the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River.

The Wichita Eagle newspaper reports that members of the US junior figure skating team were aboard the plane. A source told TASS that Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the world championships in pairs figure skating for Russia in 1994, were also among the passengers, as well as Inna Volyanskaya, Soviet bronze medalist in pairs figure skating.