A U.S. Army helicopter involved in a deadly midair collision with American Airlines flight 5342 on Wednesday was conducting a training exercise related to a potential attack on the capital.
Officials confirmed that the three soldiers who tragically died were rehearsing a plan to evacuate the White House when the Black Hawk collided with the passenger jet just before 9 p.m.
Defense sources verified the training exercise details to CBS News after internet speculation suggested the helicopter was part of a Continuity of Government (COG) plan. This plan is designed for emergency evacuations of key government personnel, including the president, in case of catastrophic events.
Social media theorists had flooded online platforms, claiming the helicopter was performing an emergency evacuation route for the president. The COG plan involves ensuring that critical government functions continue during and after major disasters or attacks.
