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

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

Sixty-seven people were eliminated when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter clashed mid-air on Wednesday night. Up until now, 28 bodies have been recognized.

Both airplane crashed into the Potomac River after the accident. Some 300 personnel were sent to the scene, however the rescue quickly developed into a recovery mission as authorities stated there were no .

Washington crash: Follow the most current updates

Federal private investigators have actually recuperated the black boxes from the passenger jet, while authorities were still browsing for comparable gadgets in the helicopter.

Meanwhile, amid concerns 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 service manager had actually let a controller leave their shift early.

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

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It suggests a single controller was handling both aircraft and helicopter traffic in the location when the 2 aircraft collided.

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

The American Airlines jet was carrying 60 guests and 4 crew when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, quickly before 9pm local 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 one of the most securely managed airspaces worldwide.

‘Em ergency automobiles sped past me’

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

Hamaad Raza told NBC News his other half of two years, employment Asra, had “texted me [and] stated, ‘We’re landing in 20 minutes'”.

” I was waiting and I started seeing a bunch of EMS cars speeding past me … way too lots of, [more] than normal 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 since been said there is no evidence to support the US president’s claim.

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

At a White House press instruction on Friday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Mr Trump had actually signed a memorandum directing an instant assessment of FAA hiring choices made throughout the previous administration.

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

NBC News reported staffing in the air traffic control tower was “not normal”, 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 stated, one controller was supervising both airplane and helicopter activity.

The FAA, which controls air traffic control along with accreditation of personnel and airplane, is without a long-term administrator. Its former employer Michael Whitaker stepped down on 20 January – the day of Mr Trump’s inauguration.

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

Mr Whitaker had clashed with Mr Trump’s confidante Elon Musk over the SpaceX rocket launches during his tenure at the FAA.

Since starting as head of the administration in October 2023, employment he was likewise required to react to Boeing’s safety and quality issues, and worked to employ more air traffic controllers due to a scarcity of personnel.

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 have to have our most intelligent individuals,” he said. “They need to be naturally talented geniuses.”

Mr Trump included: “The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual impairments, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a variety and inclusion hiring initiative defined on the agency’s website.”

The American Association of People with Disabilities reacted to these claims, stating in a declaration on X: “FAA staff members with specials needs did not cause [the] awful plane crash.

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

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Mr Trump stated after being sworn in last week, he signed an executive order which “brought back the greatest requirements of air traffic controllers”.

At a later rundown, he was asked if gender or race played a role. He responded to: “It might have, I don’t know.