Washington DC plane crash latest: Black boxes recovered from jet; professor and young skater confirmed among dead

Sky News

31-01-2025

Tributes to figure skater, 12, and university professor
We've been receiving some tributes overnight as we learn more details about those who were on board the plane.
Tributes have been paid to 12-year-old Olivia Ter, with her described as a "beloved member" of the Tucker Road ice rink and an "exceptional" youth figure skater.
"The impact of Olivia's life will continue to resonate in our youth sports community, and she will be sorely missed," Bill Tyler, director of Prince George's County recreation department said.
Howard University has also released a statement after Kiah Duggins, a professor at the university, was on board the plane.
"It is with profound sadness that the Howard University community and the Howard University School of Law have learned of the passing of Professor Kiah Duggins, who was among those lost in the mid-air plane collision at Reagan National Airport," the university said.
"We ask for privacy and respect for Professor Duggins' family, students, and colleagues during this difficult time."
Black boxes recovered from plane
Investigators have confirmed they recovered black boxes from the plane overnight and are carrying out tests in a laboratory.
In an update on X, the National Transportation Safety Board said: "NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 airplane involved in yesterday's mid-air collision in DCA.
"The recorders are at the NTSB labs for evaluation."
Black boxes can help offer clues to investigators about what could have happened in the moments leading to the crash.
Good morning - here's what you need to know
Welcome back to our coverage of the plane crash in Washington DC.
On Wednesday, an American Airlines flight carrying 64 people was coming into land at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided mid-air with a military helicopter carrying three soldiers.
All 64 people on board the jet are feared dead and at least 28 bodies were pulled from the waters of the Potomac River.
Recovery work continues at the scene, where the black box has been recovered from the plane, while more people have been identified among the passengers.
But before we bring you the latest, here is a recap of what we know so far: The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew and three soldiers were aboard the helicopter;
Donald Trump opened a White House news conference after the crash with a moment of silence honouring the victims, calling it an "hour of anguish" for the country;
But he spent most of his time casting political blame, criticising the Biden administration and diversity efforts at the Federal Aviation Administration;
Without evidence, Trump blamed air traffic controllers, the helicopter pilots and Democratic policies at federal agencies;
He claimed the FAA was "actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative";
Flights resumed at the airport shortly after 11am yesterday. But many flights had been cancelled, and airport information boards were covered in red cancellation messages;
Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita;
Two of those coaches were identified by the Kremlin as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics.
We're pausing our coverage for the night
We'll be back tomorrow with more updates on the plane crash in Washington DC.
Here is what we know tonight: An American Airlines flight carrying 64 people was coming into land at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport late last night when it collided mid-air with a military helicopter carrying three soldiers;
The crash involved a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ701 twin-engine jet regional jet and a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter;
American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, was travelling from Wichita, Kansas;
The US Army helicopter - a UH-60 Black Hawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia - was on a training flight when the collision happened;
Donald Trump has blamed air traffic controllers, the helicopter pilots and Democratic policies at federal agencies without evidence;
Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita;
Two of those coaches were identified by the Kremlin as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics.
If we needed further evidence Trump is no ordinary president - this was it
The plane crash has been the "first unexpected and major test for Donald Trump", our US correspondent Martha Kelner says.
She says: "It's at times like this a president would normally issue a rallying cry to unite the nation and offer words of comfort and condolence.
"As if we needed any further evidence that Trump is no ordinary president - this has provided it."
She says in his news conference Trump did appear "seemingly striking and appropriate" to begin with but it "wasn't long before he was on more comfortable terrain playing party politics".
"First of all blaming Democratic presidents for what unfolded - he said Barack Obama and Joe Biden had presided in the declining standards in air traffic control," Kelner says.
"Perhaps forgetting his own administration was sandwiched in between the two and had similar policies around air traffic control."
He then took aim at diversity policies, Kelner notes.
"These are baseless claims," she adds.
Obama: Our hearts break for the families who have lost loved ones
Barack Obama has offered his condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in the plane and helicopter crash.
He has written the following on X...
What do we know about the crash?
There is no immediate information on the cause of the collision, but officials have said flight conditions were clear as the passenger jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington DC with US and Russian figure skaters and others aboard.
Without evidence, Donald Trump blamed air traffic controllers, the helicopter pilots and Democratic policies at federal agencies.
But the investigation ultimately will determine what caused this collision.
Here, our data and forensics correspondent Tom Cheshire analyses what we know...
Trump: You want me to go swimming?
The president has also been asked by a reporter if he plans to visit the crash site.
He replied: "What's the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?"
The plane crash was the first major disaster of Trump's new term, and his response evoked his frequent - and controversial - briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic.
President says race or gender 'may have' played role in crash
Donald Trump has been taking further questions in the Oval Office following his news conference.
Earlier, Trump claimed the Democrats were responsible for declining standards in air traffic control.
He also suggested the crash "could have been" caused by diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Asked if race and gender could have played a role in the plane crash at the White House he said: "It may have, I don't know.
"Incompetence might have played a role.
"We'll let you know that but we want the most competent people.
"We don't care what race they are. We want the most competent people, especially in those positions.
"You're talking about extremely complex things and if they don't have a great brain, a great power of the brain they are not going to be very good at what they do and bad things will happen."
Satellite images show recovery operations
Satellite images from Washington DC's Reagan National Airport today show recovery operations in progress in the Potomac River.
As we have been reporting today, at least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the river after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late on Wednesday as it was landing at the airport.
The plane was found upside-down in three sections in waist deep water.
The helicopter wreckage was also found.