Name: Investigations underway in D.C plane collision
Uploaded: 2025-01-31T07:24:26.807Z
Duration: 4 min 15 s
Description: The Washington Fire Department has confirmed they no longer believe there are any survivors following an American Airlines passenger jet midair collision with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC.

The Washington Fire Department has confirmed they no longer believe there are any survivors following an American Airlines passenger jet midair collision with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC.

Washington

A regional jet carrying 64 people collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC.

D.C. Crash

The Potomac River holds the wreckage of an aviation tragedy involving an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk helicopter. The collision above Washington, D.C.'s Reagan International Airport resulted in the death of 64 passengers and crew from the flight and three soldiers on board the helicopter. No survivors have been reported from this accident. 

President Trump initially addressed the incident with a somber tone but faced criticism for suggesting a hiring initiative at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) might be linked to the crash. The initiative, which has been in place since 2013, promotes diversity and inclusion in hiring. Former Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized Trump's unfounded claims. 

It was noted that staff shortages may have impacted operations in the control tower, as the controller managed both plane and helicopter traffic simultaneously—typically a two-person task. Rescue operations faced numerous challenges due to the river's dangerous conditions, including strong currents, freezing temperatures, jet fuel, and debris in the water. 

Among the victims were a group of figure skaters, including two former world champions, returning from training. As the nation mourns, tributes for the deceased highlight the personal toll of the tragedy. Meanwhile, investigators have retrieved the black boxes from the plane, which are undergoing forensic analysis to understand the flight's final moments. Authorities aim to thoroughly investigate all possible causes, including human error, equipment failure, and weather conditions. 



Investigations underway in D.C plane collision

The Potomac River, cold and calm. Underneath its surface, the mangled wreckage of a plane, a helicopter, and the remains of dozens who were on board. We don't believe there are any survivors from this accident. 64 passengers and crew on an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, and three soldiers on board a Black Hawk helicopter, killed when the two aircraft collided above Washington, D.C.'s Reagan International Airport. Crash, crash, crash. This is alert three. Crash, crash, crash. The questions now are why and how. We're here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation. President Trump initially somber. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital. But later in the Oval Office. Do you have a plan to go visit the site and meet with any of the first responders? I have a plan to visit, not the site, because you tell me what's the site, the water? Or to meet with the first responders? And he's made it clear where he's pointing the blame. The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency's website. A policy that's been on the books since 2013, covering Trump's first term in office. How you can come to the conclusion right now that diversity had something to do with this crash? Because I have common sense. His theory with no proof drawing immediate condemnation. Despicable as families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying, said former Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg. But it seems there were some problems inside the control tower. Due to staff shortages, the controller in charge of the ill-fated flight was also looking after helicopter traffic, a job normally performed by two people. Finding survivors was always going to be a miracle, and sadly, rescue workers really had everything going against them. This section of the river is only 2.5 metres deep, but the current is strong. There was jet fuel in the water, there was dangerous debris, the temperatures were freezing, and, of course, all of this was happening in the dark. Among the dead, a group of figure skaters, including two former world champions, returning from a training camp. Whenever you look over and you see those bodies laying, that's someone's family. It could be yours. Douglas Lane lost his son Spencer and his wife Christine. She just was one of those people that could kind of plug in anywhere and just connect with people. Loved ones mourning lives cut short. We loved him, we were so proud of him, we're going to miss him so much. Heartbreaking tributes emerging from the fog and confusion of the collision and the ugly politics now surrounding it. A US correspondent, Catherine Firkin, is near the crash site in Washington, DC. She joins us now live. Catherine, authorities there have made a significant step in their investigations tonight. Good evening, Sandra. Yes, authorities have recovered the two black boxes from the passenger jet and they are expected to contain crucial information about the final movements of that fateful flight. Both black boxes are now with a lab for forensic analysis, while here at the river, investigative crews are continuing to pull bits of wreckage from the water, that's including parts of the helicopter, and that's all being stored at a nearby hangar for inspection. Meantime, authorities say they're going to be approaching this investigation from all angles. They want to know whether human error or equipment failure or even the weather had something to do with this crash. What we know at this stage is that both aircraft were travelling on standard flight paths and there was no breakdown in communication. Now, speaking of communication, President Trump's reaction to this disaster has been criticised. Some saying he's trying to politicise the disaster. Today, he announced he is going to be meeting with some family members of victims tomorrow. We have also learnt, Sandra, that American Airlines is likely to release the full flight manifest tomorrow, so that probably gives us an indication that the tragic job of letting family members know that their loved ones have died has now been completed.

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D.C. Crash