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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 killed when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter collided mid-air on Wednesday night. Up until now, 28 bodies have been recognized.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River after the accident. Some 300 workers were sent to the scene, however the rescue soon developed 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 passenger jet, while authorities were still searching for 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, it’s been validated that an air traffic control service supervisor had let a controller leave their shift early.
The information, initially reported by the New York Times, has actually been verified to Sky News’ US partner NBC News by a source knowledgeable about the examination.
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It suggests a single controller was handling both airplane and helicopter traffic in the area when the 2 aircraft clashed.
It is allowed – but not ideal – for one controller to do both jobs, NBC News reported.
The American Airlines jet was bring 60 travelers and 4 team when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying 3 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 one of the most tightly controlled airspaces worldwide.
‘Em ergency cars sped past me’
A male whose better half was on the flight has actually recalled how he saw emergency situation services “speeding past” as he was waiting at the airport to select her up.
Hamaad Raza informed NBC News his partner of two years, Asra, had actually “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 a lot of, [more] than regular and my texts weren’t going through.”
Trump makes unverified variety drive claim
Donald Trump has linked a diversity drive at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under previous federal governments to the crash.
It has considering that been said 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 briefing on Friday, press secretary said Mr Trump had actually signed a memorandum directing an immediate assessment of FAA hiring choices made throughout the previous administration.
While Mr Trump’s claim appears to have actually been exposed, there are questions over staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport.
NBC News reported staffing in the air traffic control tower was “not normal”, referall.us according to a preliminary FAA report.
The tower normally has a controller who focuses particularly on helicopter traffic – however at the time of the crash, a source stated, one controller was overseeing both plane and helicopter activity.
The FAA, which manages air traffic control in addition to accreditation of personnel and airplane, is without a permanent 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 actually designated an acting administrator, 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 tenure 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 problems, and worked to employ more air traffic controllers due to a shortage of personnel.
Learn more:.
Washington DC airplane crash: What we understand so far.
Air traffic control heard diverting planes moments after crash
At his rundown, Mr Trump blamed former president Joe Biden for lowering requirements for air traffic controllers.
” We need to have our smartest people,” he said. “They have to be naturally gifted 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 diversity and inclusion hiring effort spelled out 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 impairments did not cause [the] tragic plane crash.
” The investigation into the crash is still ongoing. It is exceptionally improper for the president to use this tragedy to push an anti-diversity hiring program. 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 briefing, he was asked if gender or race played a function. He addressed: “It may have, I do not know.
