Authorities have actually recovered 41 bodies after an airplane crash in Washington DC.
Sixty-seven individuals were eliminated when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter collided mid-air on Wednesday night. So far, 28 bodies have actually been determined.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River after the crash. Some 300 personnel were sent to the scene, but the rescue soon became a healing mission as authorities stated there were no survivors.
Washington crash: Follow the latest updates
Federal investigators have actually recovered the black boxes from the guest jet, while authorities were still looking for comparable devices 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 manager had let a controller leave their shift early.
The information, first reported by the New York Times, has actually been confirmed to Sky News' US partner NBC News by a source knowledgeable about the examination.
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It implies a single controller was managing both airplane and helicopter traffic in the location when the two aircraft collided.
It is permitted - however not optimum - for one controller to do both jobs, NBC News reported.
The American Airlines jet was bring 60 guests and four crew when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, bring three soldiers, soon 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 among the most firmly controlled airspaces in the world.
'Em ergency vehicles sped past me'
A man whose better half was on the flight has actually remembered how he saw emergency services "speeding past" as he was waiting at the airport to select her up.
Hamaad Raza informed NBC News his spouse of two 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 typical and my texts weren't going through."
Trump makes unproven variety drive claim
Donald Trump has actually linked a diversity drive at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under previous governments to the crash.
It has given that been stated 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 made air travel less safe.
At a White House press rundown on Friday, press secretary Karoline Mr Trump had actually signed a memorandum directing an immediate assessment 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 typical", employment according to a preliminary FAA report.
The tower normally has a controller who focuses particularly on helicopter traffic - but at the time of the crash, a source stated, one controller was overseeing both aircraft and employment helicopter activity.
The FAA, which controls air traffic control as well as certification of workers and airplane, is without a long-term administrator. Its former 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 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 issues, and worked to work with more air traffic controllers due to a shortage of staff.
Read more:.
Washington DC aircraft crash: What we know so far.
Air traffic control service heard diverting planes moments after collision
At his instruction, Mr Trump blamed previous president Joe Biden for decreasing standards for air traffic controllers.
" We need to have our most intelligent individuals," he said. "They need to be naturally skilled geniuses."
Mr Trump added: "The FAA is actively recruiting employees who suffer serious intellectual disabilities, psychiatric issues, and other psychological and physical conditions under a variety and addition hiring initiative spelled out on the company's website."
The American Association of People with Disabilities responded to these claims, stating in a statement on X: "FAA staff members with specials needs did not cause [the] tragic plane crash.
" The investigation into the crash is still ongoing. It is incredibly inappropriate for the president to use this catastrophe to press an anti-diversity hiring program. Doing so makes all Americans less safe."
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Mr Trump stated after being sworn in recently, he signed an executive order which "restored the highest requirements of air traffic controllers".
At a later instruction, he was asked if gender or race played a role. He answered: "It might have, I don't know.
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Washington DC Plane Crash: Authorities Recover 41 Bodies After Mid air Collision
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