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

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

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

Washington crash: Follow the most recent updates

Federal investigators have actually recovered the black boxes from the passenger jet, while authorities were still browsing 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 supervisor had actually let a controller leave their shift early.

The information, pattern-wiki.win 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 investigation.

More on Washington Crash

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

-. Washington DC crash: Data from plane's black boxes offers clashing information on altitudes - as photos of 3rd soldier with Joe Biden and Ralph Lauren emerge

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

Related Topics:

Washington crash.
Please use Chrome internet browser for a more available video gamer

It indicates a single controller was handling both plane and helicopter traffic in the area when the 2 airplane collided.

It is permitted - but not ideal - for one controller to do both jobs, NBC News reported.

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

Flight 5342 was preparing to land on runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it clashed with the helicopter in one of the most tightly controlled airspaces on the planet.

'Em ergency lorries sped past me'

A male whose wife was on the flight has remembered 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 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 ... method a lot of, [more] than normal and my texts weren't going through.“

Trump makes unproven variety drive claim

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

It has actually because been said there is no evidence to support the US president's claim.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Mr Trump recommended the variety efforts had actually made flight 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 working with decisions made throughout the previous administration.

While Mr Trump's claim appears to have actually been debunked, there are questions over staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport.

NBC News reported staffing in the air traffic control tower was “not typical”, according to a preliminary FAA report.

The tower generally has a controller who focuses particularly 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 controls air traffic control service as well as certification of workers and airplane, is without a permanent administrator. Its previous 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 selected 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 throughout his period at the FAA.

Since beginning as head of the administration in October 2023, setiathome.berkeley.edu he was also forced to react to Boeing's safety and quality issues, and disgaeawiki.info worked to employ more air traffic controllers due to a lack of staff.

Learn more:. Washington DC aircraft crash: What we understand up until now. Air traffic control heard diverting aircrafts moments after accident

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

” We need to have our most intelligent individuals,” he said. “They have to be naturally talented geniuses.“

Mr Trump added: “The FAA is actively hiring employees who suffer extreme intellectual specials needs, psychiatric issues, and other psychological and physical conditions under a diversity and addition hiring initiative defined on the agency's site.“

The American Association of People with Disabilities reacted to these claims, saying in a statement on X: “FAA workers with impairments did not cause [the] terrible airplane crash.

” The investigation into the crash is still ongoing. It is incredibly unsuitable for the president to use this catastrophe to push an anti-diversity hiring program. Doing so makes all Americans less safe.“

Please use Chrome internet browser for a more accessible video gamer

Mr Trump stated after being sworn in last week, he signed an executive order which “restored the highest requirements of air traffic controllers”.

At a later briefing, he was asked if gender or race played a function. He answered: “It may have, I do not know.