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

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

Sixty-seven people were killed when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter collided mid-air on Wednesday night. So far, 28 bodies have actually been identified.

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

Washington crash: Follow the most recent updates

Federal private investigators have recovered the black boxes from the guest jet, while authorities were still looking for similar 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 verified that an air traffic control supervisor had let a controller leave their shift early.

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

More on Washington Crash

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

-.
Washington DC crash: Data from plane’s black boxes offers contrasting info on altitudes – as images of 3rd soldier with Joe Biden and employment Ralph Lauren emerge

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

Related Topics:

Washington crash.

Please use Chrome web browser for a more available video player

It implies a single controller was managing both plane and helicopter traffic in the location when the 2 aircraft clashed.

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

The American Airlines jet was carrying 60 passengers and 4 team when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, bring 3 soldiers, soon before 9pm regional time on Wednesday.

Flight 5342 was preparing to arrive on runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with the helicopter in among the most tightly managed airspaces worldwide.

‘Em ergency automobiles sped past me’

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

Hamaad Raza informed NBC News his wife 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 too many, [more] than regular and my texts weren’t going through.”

Trump makes unproven diversity drive claim

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

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

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

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

While Mr Trump’s claim appears to have been exposed, 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 usually has a controller who focuses specifically on helicopter traffic – however at the time of the crash, a source stated, one controller was supervising both airplane and helicopter activity.

The FAA, which manages air traffic control in addition to accreditation of workers and aircraft, employment is without an irreversible 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 appointed 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, he was also required to react to Boeing’s security and quality issues, employment and worked to hire more air traffic controllers due to a shortage of staff.

Find out more:.
Washington DC aircraft crash: What we understand so far.
Air traffic control heard diverting planes moments after accident

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

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

Mr Trump included: “The FAA is actively recruiting employees who suffer severe intellectual impairments, psychiatric issues, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring effort defined on the agency’s site.”

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

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

Please use Chrome web browser for a more available video gamer

Mr Trump said after being sworn in last week, he signed an executive order which “brought back the greatest 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 do not understand.