Washington DC Plane Crash: Authorities Recover 41 Bodies After Mid-air Collision

Authorities have recovered 41 bodies after an aircraft crash in Washington DC.

Sixty-seven individuals were eliminated when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter clashed mid-air on Wednesday night. So far, 28 bodies have been recognized.

Both airplane crashed into the Potomac River after the collision. Some 300 personnel were sent out to the scene, but the rescue quickly turned into a recovery mission as officials stated there were no survivors.

Washington crash: Follow the current updates

Federal investigators have recovered the black boxes from the traveler jet, while authorities were still browsing for employment comparable gadgets in the helicopter.

Meanwhile, in the middle of questions over how well the airport’s control tower was staffed on the night of the crash, employment it’s been validated that an air traffic control service manager had let a controller leave their shift early.

The information, initially reported by the New York Times, has been validated to Sky News’ US partner NBC News by a source knowledgeable about the examination.

More on Washington Crash

-.
Captain Rebecca Lobach: Third helicopter pilot who died in Washington crash was previous White House assistant

-.
Washington DC crash: Data from plane’s black boxes provides conflicting information on altitudes – as photos of 3rd soldier with Joe Biden and Ralph Lauren emerge

-.
Black Hawk helicopter was on emergency situation evacuation trial run before Washington DC crash, employment officials state

Related Topics:

Washington crash.

Please utilize Chrome web browser for a more available video player

It indicates a single controller was handling both aircraft and helicopter traffic in the area when the 2 aircraft clashed.

It is allowable – but not optimal – for one controller to do both jobs, NBC News reported.

The American Airlines jet was carrying 60 passengers and employment four crew when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, bring three soldiers, soon before 9pm regional time on Wednesday.

Flight 5342 was preparing to arrive at runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it hit the helicopter in among the most tightly controlled airspaces on the planet.

‘Em ergency cars sped past me’

A male whose wife was on the flight has actually recalled how he saw emergency situation services “speeding past” as he was waiting at the airport to pick her up.

Hamaad Raza informed NBC News his partner of two years, Asra, had actually “texted me [and] said, ‘We’re landing in 20 minutes'”.

” I was waiting and I started seeing a bunch of EMS lorries speeding past me … method too numerous, [more] than regular and my texts weren’t going through.”

Trump makes unverified diversity drive claim

Donald Trump has linked a variety drive at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under previous governments to the crash.

It has actually considering that been said there is no to support the US president’s claim.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Mr Trump recommended the diversity efforts had actually made flight less safe.

At a White House press rundown on Friday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr Trump had actually signed a memorandum directing an immediate evaluation of FAA employing choices made during the previous administration.

While Mr Trump’s claim appears to have actually been unmasked, there are concerns over staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport.

NBC News reported staffing in the air traffic control tower was “not typical”, according to an initial FAA report.

The tower typically has a controller who focuses specifically on helicopter traffic – but at the time of the crash, a source said, one controller was overseeing both plane and helicopter activity.

The FAA, which controls air traffic control service as well as accreditation of workers and aircraft, employment is without a long-term administrator. Its previous manager Michael Whitaker stepped down on 20 January – the day of Mr Trump’s inauguration.

Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app Mr Trump has actually selected an acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, employment in the wake of the crash.

Mr Whitaker had actually encountered Mr Trump’s confidante Elon Musk over the SpaceX rocket launches throughout his period at the FAA.

Since beginning as head of the administration in October 2023, he was likewise required to respond to Boeing’s safety and quality problems, and worked to employ more air traffic controllers due to a scarcity of staff.

Find out more:.
Washington DC airplane crash: What we understand up until now.
Air traffic control heard diverting planes minutes after collision

At his rundown, Mr Trump blamed previous president Joe Biden for lowering standards for air traffic controllers.

” We need to have our most intelligent people,” he said. “They have to be naturally gifted geniuses.”

Mr Trump added: “The FAA is actively hiring workers who suffer serious intellectual impairments, psychiatric problems, and other psychological and physical conditions under a variety and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the company’s website.”

The American Association of People with Disabilities reacted to these claims, saying in a statement on X: “FAA workers with specials needs did not cause [the] tragic plane crash.

” The investigation into the crash is still continuous. It is exceptionally unsuitable for the president to utilize this catastrophe to press an anti-diversity hiring agenda. Doing so makes all Americans less safe.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more available video player

Mr Trump said after being sworn in last week, he signed an executive order which “restored the greatest standards of air traffic controllers”.

At a later instruction, he was asked if gender or race contributed. He responded to: “It may have, I do not understand.