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

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

Sixty-seven people were killed when an American Airlines jet and employment a military helicopter collided mid-air on Wednesday night. Up until now, 28 bodies have actually been determined.

Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River after the crash. Some 300 workers were sent out to the scene, however the rescue quickly became a recovery objective as officials said there were no survivors.

Washington crash: Follow the latest updates

Federal detectives have recovered the black boxes from the guest jet, while authorities were still looking for comparable gadgets in the helicopter.

Meanwhile, amid questions over how well the airport’s control tower was staffed on the night of the crash, it’s been confirmed that an air traffic control supervisor had let a controller leave their shift early.

The detail, initially reported by the New york city Times, has actually been verified to Sky News’ US partner NBC News by a source knowledgeable about the investigation.

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It indicates a single controller was dealing with both plane and helicopter traffic in the area when the two airplane clashed.

It is permitted – but not optimum – for employment one controller to do both tasks, NBC News reported.

The American Airlines jet was bring 60 travelers and 4 team when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, soon before 9pm local time on Wednesday.

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

cars sped past me’

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

Hamaad Raza told NBC News his better half of 2 years, Asra, had actually “texted me [and] said, ‘We’re landing in 20 minutes'”.

” I was waiting and I began seeing a bunch of EMS automobiles speeding past me … way a lot of, [more] than normal and my texts weren’t going through.”

Trump makes unverified variety drive claim

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

It has actually given that been stated there is no proof to support the US president’s claim.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Mr Trump suggested the variety efforts had actually made air travel less safe.

At a White House press rundown on Friday, employment press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr Trump had signed a memorandum directing an instant evaluation of FAA hiring decisions made during the previous administration.

While Mr Trump’s claim appears to have been debunked, employment there are questions over staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport.

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

The tower usually has a controller who focuses specifically on helicopter traffic – however at the time of the crash, a source said, one controller was supervising both aircraft and helicopter activity.

The FAA, which manages air traffic control service in addition to accreditation of personnel and aircraft, lacks a long-term administrator. Its previous boss 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 appointed an acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, in the wake of the crash.

Mr Whitaker had 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 forced to react to Boeing’s safety and quality issues, and worked to work with more air traffic controllers due to a lack of staff.

Learn more:.
Washington DC aircraft crash: What we understand so far.
Air traffic control service heard diverting airplanes moments after crash

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

” We need to have our smartest individuals,” he said. “They need to be naturally skilled geniuses.”

Mr Trump included: “The FAA is actively hiring workers who suffer serious intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a variety and inclusion hiring initiative defined on the firm’s site.”

The American Association of People with Disabilities reacted to these claims, saying in a declaration on X: “FAA workers with disabilities did not trigger [the] tragic aircraft crash.

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

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

At a later instruction, he was asked if gender or race played a role. He addressed: “It might have, I don’t understand.