US President Donald Trump, while speaking in the White House briefing room, called the fatal mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in Washington DC a “tragedy of terrible proportions” and confirmed there were no survivors, NBC News reported.

“Work has now shifted to the search and rescue operation. Unfortunately, there are no survivors,” he said.

The US president began his remarks with a moment of silence for the victims and their families.

“I turn to you this morning in an hour of grief for our nation,” he said at the briefing.

Trump added that “a massive search and rescue operation was conducted throughout the night, every resource at our disposal was utilized, and I have to say that the local, state and federal military, including the United States Coast Guard in particular, did a phenomenal job.”

“It was a dark and harrowing night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history, a tragedy of terrible proportions. As a united nation, we grieve for every precious soul that was taken from us so suddenly,” Trump said.