Latest news Search for cause of plane crash in USA

SDA

31.1.2025 - 04:34

HANDOUT - In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, boat crews from Coast Guard Stations Washington, Curtis Bay, Annapolis, Oxford and Crisfield enforce a safety zone around a wreck in the Potomac River off Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor B/U.S. Coast Guard/dpa - ATTENTION: For editorial use only and only with full attribution to the above credit
HANDOUT - In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, boat crews from Coast Guard Stations Washington, Curtis Bay, Annapolis, Oxford and Crisfield enforce a safety zone around a wreck in the Potomac River off Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor B/U.S. Coast Guard/dpa - ATTENTION: For editorial use only and only with full attribution to the above credit
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Following the devastating plane crash in Washington, which is believed to have killed 67 people, the recovery of bodies and the search for the cause of the accident is ongoing.

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Emergency services combed the Potomac River in the US capital, where a passenger plane and a military helicopter crashed after a mid-air collision. They found more fatalities there. The authorities assume that there are no survivors.

There is still no official information on the cause of the devastating accident. US media reported irregularities in air traffic control at the time of the accident. There has been no official confirmation of this. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has begun an investigation, but explicitly warned against jumping to conclusions and asked for patience. However, US President Donald Trump rushed forward with accusations of blame.

The recovery of the fatalities

On Wednesday evening, a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter on landing at Ronald Reagan Airport (DCA). Both crashed into the water. There were 60 passengers and 4 crew members on board the plane. There were 3 crew members on board the helicopter. According to the authorities, all 67 people died in the accident.

Overnight, rescue teams with boats and divers searched feverishly for survivors in the icy waters of the Potomac River - but without success. According to the authorities, more than two dozen dead bodies were pulled from the water in the first few hours after the accident. According to US media, more bodies were later recovered - more than 40 in total so far. Emergency services expressed confidence that they would be able to recover all the bodies in the end. However, this could take longer due to adverse conditions and the search in a large underwater area.

Report of irregularity in the control tower

The flight recorders of the crashed passenger plane have now been found. They are now being analyzed, reported several US media outlets. Experts are hoping to gain insights into the cause of the accident. So far, there are no indications of criminality or terrorism.

The "New York Times" and other US media reported, citing an internal FAA report, that at the time of the collision an air traffic controller was assigned to two positions in the control tower at Ronald Reagan Airport. The controller was responsible for helicopters in the vicinity of the airport as well as for aircraft on the runways. The assignment in the control tower was "not normal for the time of day and the volume of traffic".

Investigators ask for patience

The accident investigation authority, the NTSB, has not provided any information on this - and generally little information so far. According to the agency, the passenger plane hit the water very quickly and there was no indication that rescue slides had been activated, for example. NTSB investigators also stated that the helicopter was at the wrong altitude. Otherwise, however, they were initially very cautious about the content of their investigation.

"You have to give us time," said Jennifer Homendy, head of the authorities. The investigators had data and large amounts of information. It takes time to evaluate and verify this. The investigations have only just begun. Around 50 investigators are working at the accident site.

Another NTSB representative, Todd Inman, also emphasized that the agency would not speculate in advance about the possible cause. The aim is to present a preliminary report within 30 days.

Trump quickly identifies culprits

US President Trump had previously complained publicly that it always takes far too long for information on the cause to emerge after such accidents. "We don't know what led to this crash," said the President, "but we have some very strong opinions and ideas." He offered these, suggesting that the helicopter pilot was at fault and blaming air traffic control diversity programs for the accident.

He argued that the helicopter could have slowed down or stopped completely, changed its altitude or turned away. "You could have done a million different maneuvers, but for some reason it just kept flying." Trump lamented that the crew members in the helicopter "should have been able to see where they were going".

The president also complained that air traffic control at the airport had issued a warning too late. He said he would ensure that only "the most competent people in the country" worked in control towers at airports. They would have to be "brilliant" in their use of computers and graphics and "psychologically very, very smart".

Trump railed excessively against diversity programs in air traffic control. The programs at the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were aimed at "hiring people with severe mental and psychological disabilities". People with impaired hearing or vision, missing limbs, paralysis, epilepsy, severe mental disabilities and dwarfism all qualified for the position of air traffic controller, he claimed. Trump also explicitly attacked the policies of his Democratic predecessors Barack Obama and Joe Biden with regard to air traffic control.

The victims on board

The passenger plane was an American Airlines aircraft that had taken off from the city of Wichita in the state of Kansas. The military helicopter was on a training flight.

On board the passenger plane were several figure skaters, trainers and their families. They were returning from a training camp that was taking place as part of the national championships in Wichita, Kansas, according to a statement from the US Figure Skating Association. Several of the victims were children or teenagers. Two Russian former world champions in pairs skating, who most recently worked as coaches in the USA, were also on the plane. Trump said there were people from several countries on board - but he did not give any further details at first.