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 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 aircraft crashed into the Potomac River after the crash. Some 300 workers were sent to the scene, but the rescue quickly turned into a healing mission as officials stated there were no survivors.

Washington crash: Follow the most recent updates

Federal detectives have recovered the black boxes from the guest jet, while authorities were still searching 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 verified that an air traffic control service supervisor had let a controller leave their shift early.

The information, employment first reported by the New york city Times, has actually been confirmed to Sky News’ US partner NBC News by a source acquainted with the examination.

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It means a single controller was dealing with both airplane and helicopter traffic in the area when the 2 airplane clashed.

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

The American Airlines jet was bring 60 travelers and employment four team when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, quickly 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 one of the most firmly controlled airspaces in the world.

‘Em ergency lorries 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 select her up.

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

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

Trump makes unproven diversity drive claim

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

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

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

At a White House press briefing on Friday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Mr Trump had actually 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 exposed, 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 particularly 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 along with accreditation of workers and aircraft, lacks an irreversible administrator. Its previous 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, employment Chris Rocheleau, in the wake of the crash.

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

Since beginning as head of the administration in October 2023, he was also forced to react to Boeing’s security and employment quality problems, and worked to employ more air traffic controllers due to a lack of staff.

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

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

Mr Trump added: “The FAA is actively hiring employees who suffer extreme intellectual specials needs, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring effort defined on the company’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] tragic plane crash.

” The examination into the crash is still ongoing. It is extremely unsuitable for the president to utilize this tragedy to push 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 “brought back the greatest standards of air traffic controllers”.

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