Officials believe that no one survived the midair collision on Wednesday night of a commercial jet carrying 64 people and an Army helicopter carrying three U.S. service members near Washington, D.C.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., and officials said at a news conference on Thursday morning that they had recovered 28 bodies from the frigid, icy water. Emergency responders on Thursday will switch from a rescue to a recovery operation, said John Donnelly, Washington’s fire chief.
Here’s what else to know:
- The collision: American Airlines said in a statement that 60 passengers and four crew members had been onboard Flight 5342, which had departed from Wichita at about 6:20 p.m. Eastern. It collided in midair with the helicopter at around 9 p.m. while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan National, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
- The aircraft: The plane was a Bombardier CRJ700. According to F.A.A. records, it was built about 20 years ago. The helicopter was a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, the Army said in a statement. It was not clear whether it was departing from or returning to Fort Belvoir.
- New administration: The crash confronts the new Trump administration with one of its first major disasters. It happened just a day after the new transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, was sworn in. It is also Mr. Hegseth’s first week as defense secretary. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said her department was deploying Coast Guard resources for search and rescue efforts.
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Let the Conspiracy Theories Begin:
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Reality:
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DEI Madness and Restores Excellence and Safety within the Federal Aviation Administration
January 22, 2025
FLIGHTS SHOULD BE SUPERVISED BY THE BEST EMPLOYEES: President Donald J. Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum terminating a Biden Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) hiring policy that prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) over safety and efficiency.
- This Presidential Memorandum orders the Secretary of Transportation and FAA Administrator to immediately stop Biden DEI hiring programs and return to non-discriminatory, merit-based hiring.
- It also requires the FAA Administrator to review the past performance and performance standards of all FAA employees in critical safety positions and make clear that any individual who fails to demonstrate adequate capability is replaced by someone who will ensure Americans’ flight safety and efficiency.
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS RELY ON SAFE, TIMELY AIR TRAVEL EVERY DAY: Safety and competence should be the only job criteria for FAA employees, yet the Biden Administration violated the public trust—as well as the law—by prioritizing illegal DEI hiring.