Pope Francis expressed grief and spiritual closeness to people affected by tragedies in the United States, Guatemala and Sweden.
On Thursday, 30 January, in a telegram addressed to US President Mr Donald J. Trump following the mid-air collision between a military helicopter and an American Airlines plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport the day before, the Pope commended “the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God” and offered his “deepest sympathies to the families who are now mourning the loss of a loved one”. He also prayed “for those involved in the recovery efforts”, and invoked “upon all in the nation the divine blessings of consolation and strength”. All 64 people on the plane and three on the helicopter were killed.
On Wednesday, 5 February, in a telegram addressed to H.E. Ulf Kristersson, the Prime Minister of Sweden, the Pope sent “assurance of his spiritual closeness to all affected” by the fatal shooting on a school campus in Örebro the day before, which left 11 dead (including the shooter) and over a dozen injured. He offered prayers “for the repose of the souls of those who… died, for the consolation of their grieving families and friends, and for the speedy recovery of the injured”.
On Friday, 14 February, in a telegram addressed to Monsignor Gonzalo de Villa y Vásquez, Archbishop of Santiago de Guatemala, the Pope offered condolences for the victims of the bus accident in Guatemala City, on Monday, 10 February, which killed more than 50 of the 75 passengers.
