Broken During "doomsday," a Black Hawk helicopter was sent to rescue US leaders.

On Wednesday, an American Airlines aircraft struck a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, crashing into the Potomac River and killing at least 67 people.

According to Reuters, the Black Hawk helicopter that struck an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 passenger airliner was en route to a military exercise to evacuate top officials in the event of an attack on the United States.

The paper claims that the military mission, referred to as "continuity of government" and "continuity of operations," is intended to maintain the US administration's operational capacity.

Amidst the flurry of helicopter activity, the crews shuttle VIPs throughout Washington, DC.

According to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Black Hawk's crew members were undergoing a "routine, annual re-training of night flights on a standard corridor for a continuity of government mission."

A US Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional passenger flight collided Wednesday, crashing into the icy Potomac River close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing at least 67 people.

According to Reuters, the three soldiers who perished in the crash were members of the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, which is responsible for evacuating Pentagon leaders during a national emergency.

Army operations near a popular airport at night are being investigated.
Using night vision goggles, the Black Hawk crew flew the training trip along Route 4, which runs along the Potomac River.

Officials have cited the battalion's sensitive missions as the Army faces criticism for its nighttime operations close to a major airport.

Reuters was told by Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff of the Army's Aviation Directorate, that "part of their mission is to support the Department of Defense if something really bad happens in this area, and we need to move our senior leaders."

When al Qaeda terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the US government last activated a continuity of operations mission in an emergency.