Two employees at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport have been arrested for allegedly leaking footage of last week’s deadly plane crash.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) staff are accused of making unauthorised copies of records related to the collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet, which resulted in the deaths of all 67 people onboard.
The employees are now facing charges of computer trespass, reports the Mirror. Meanwhile, salvage crews have recovered an engine and significant portions of the fuselage from the commercial airliner involved in the midair collision. Efforts are ongoing to retrieve a wing from the wreckage near Reagan National Airport, officials said Monday.
Human remains have also been recovered from the Potomac River. While details remain limited, officials confirmed 55 of the 67 victims have been identified since the crash occurred last Wednesday.
Authorities estimate the operation to recover the plane wreckage will take several days, after which efforts will shift to removing the military helicopter involved in the collision. The crash between the American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, DC, is being reported as the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001, according to Mirror US.
More than 300 responders are involved in the recovery effort at any given time, officials said, with two Navy barges deployed to lift heavy wreckage from the site.
Washington DC Fire Department Assistant Chief Gary Steen expressed confidence during a news briefing that all victims would be located. Divers and salvage crews are adhering to strict protocols, including pausing debris removal whenever human remains are discovered. US Army Corps of Engineers Col. Francis Pera emphasised ensuring a “dignified recovery” of remains remains the highest priority.
Authorities confirmed no one aboard the plane or helicopter survived. The identities of the victims are being released gradually, with reports revealing a group of figure skaters from the same sports club were among those killed. This includes 13-year-old TikTok skating star Jinna Han, as well as sisters Everly and Alydia Livingston, aged 14 and 11, who were traveling together to compete in Kansas.
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