Latest news with #Eaves
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
These are the safest places in America for gay and transgender people
As Oklahoman legislators push to restrict trans rights and overturn the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, Zane Eaves says his identity as a transgender man has put a target on his back in his home state. One of 18,900 trans adults in Oklahoma, Eaves has received death threats as has his wife of 10 years and their two children. 'All the hatred and political stuff going on' are driving this Oklahoma lifer from the place he was born and raised, Eaves, 35, said. He has only crossed the state line three times in his life, but in recent weeks, he made the difficult decision to move his family to North Carolina to be closer to friends and allies. 'I am just trying to stay alive and keep my marriage,' Eaves said. Oklahoma ranks 44th in the nation on a list released Monday of the most and least welcoming states for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans. More and more, the question of where LGBTQ+ people feel safe is one of blue vs. red, according to advocacy group Out Leadership. LGBTQ+ equality fell across the board for the third straight year, according to Out Leadership's State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index shared exclusively with USA TODAY. But the sharpest declines came in Republican-led states. While progressive strongholds championed supportive policies and protections, conservative states elected a slate of leaders who openly oppose gay and trans rights and sponsored an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Out Leadership CEO and founder Todd Sears said. So-called 'Don't Say Gay' bills, religious exemptions and other legislation tanked the rankings of 19 red states in the Out Leadership index, according to Sears. Today, the divide between states that roll out the welcome mat and less hospitable parts of the country is wider than ever, he said. Each year for the last seven, Out Leadership has released the State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index to gauge the overall climate for gay and transgender people state by state, mapping out where they will face the most and the least discrimination and hardship. Out Leadership's index measures the impact of state government policies and prevalent attitudes about the LGBTQ+ community, weighing factors such as support for young people and families, health access and safety, political and religious attitudes, work environment and employment and nondiscrimination protections. The Northeast had six of the 10 highest-ranked states, while the Southeast had six of the lowest-ranked. Massachusetts, led by the nation's first openly lesbian governor, Democrat Maura Healey and New York, which guaranteed gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ refugee protections, tied for first place in this year's index, with Connecticut and New Jersey close behind. The least LGBTQ+ friendly state was Arkansas, which ranked last for the third straight year. South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama also received low scores. The states that had the largest gains in the index were Kentucky and Michigan, which Out Leadership attributed to 'pro-equality' leadership from governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats. The steepest declines were in Ohio, Florida and Utah, all led by Republican governors. The Out Leadership index was created as a LGBTQ+ inclusion reference guide for business leaders. But gay and trans people soon began using it to figure out where they should – and should not – live and work, never more so than now as rights rollbacks from the Trump administration and red statehouses hit close to home. Opposition to transgender rights was a central plank in Trump's presidential campaign and since taking office he has signed a series of executive orders recognizing only male and female genders, keeping trans athletes out of women's sports, banning trans people from serving in the military and restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for trans people under age 19. Even states seen as safer for LGBTQ+ people have been navigating these edicts around trans athletes. Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California if a trans girl competed in a state track and field event held Saturday. AB Hernandez, a junior from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, shared first place in the high jump and triple jump and second in the long jump. She shared the awards podium with her cisgender competitors under a new rule drafted by state athletics officials days before the event to mollify critics. Republican-led states have been in the vanguard of anti-trans legislation, causing greater geographic polarization and prompting fears among LGBTQ+ residents, even those who live in liberal cities. Jordan McGuire, a 27-year-old gay man in North Dakota, said the years he spent living in the Deep South taught him about the repressive discrimination routinely faced by gay and genderqueer people. At the same time, socially progressive cities in conservative states like Fargo and Grand Forks are no longer the safe havens they once were, he said. Now that his fiancee is transitioning to female, the couple is exploring a move to a 'sanctuary' state that will be safer for them. 'It feels like five or 10 years ago, trans people were not under the same microscope they are now and that has definitely influenced our move,' McGuire said. 'Yeah, people were prejudiced but it wasn't a witch hunt. They weren't looking for people in bathrooms and schools. But now things are so polarized.' That rising anxiety was captured in a post-election survey from UCLA's Williams Institute which found that nearly half of transgender people had already fled unsupportive communities and nearly 1 in 4 were considering uprooting their lives. The most frequently cited reasons for wanting to move were concerns about LGBTQ+ rights – 76% – the sociopolitical climate – 71% – anti-trans rhetoric and climate – 60% – and anti-trans laws and policies – 47%. Interest in relocating to friendlier states is even higher today than it was after Trump's reelection, say nonprofit workers who aid trans and gender-diverse people relocate to more liberal states with broader protections. So far in 2025, Rainbow Railroad in Canada has received more than 3,000 requests from LGBTQ+ people living in the United States, up more than 1,000% from the same time last year, according to communications director Timothy Chan. Nearly all requested international relocation support. For now, Rainbow Railroad can't aid Americans with resettlement services because of immigration restrictions, Chan said. TRACTION has heard from a record number of people from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas with many of them reporting being threatened or feeling unsafe in their homes and neighborhoods, said Michael Woodward, the executive director of the trans-led organization in Washington state. Trans and gender-diverse people historically face financial hardship due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and need assistance finding jobs and housing as well as with interstate moving expenses that can run tens of thousands, Woodward said. TRACTION used to get a few applications a week until Trump won a second term. In the two weeks following the election, 'we received as many requests for assistance as we'd received in the entire life of the project thus far,' he said. After the inauguration, TRACTION started getting three to five applications every day. With one employee and a handful of volunteers, his organization is struggling to keep up with demand, Woodward said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These are the safest states for gay and trans people
USA Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
These are the safest places in America for gay and transgender people
These are the safest places in America for gay and transgender people Which states are the best and worst for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans to live and work? More and more, it's a question of partisan politics. Here's why. Show Caption Hide Caption See as rock climbers hang Transgender Pride flag in Yosemite Rock climbers unfurled a large Transgender Pride flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service has since removed it. As Oklahoman legislators push to restrict trans rights and overturn the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, Zane Eaves says his identity as a transgender man has put a target on his back in his home state. One of 18,900 trans adults in Oklahoma, Eaves has received death threats as has his wife of 10 years and their two children. 'All the hatred and political stuff going on' are driving this Oklahoma lifer from the place he was born and raised, Eaves, 35, said. He has only crossed the state line three times in his life, but in recent weeks, he made the difficult decision to move his family to North Carolina to be closer to friends and allies. 'I am just trying to stay alive and keep my marriage,' Eaves said. Oklahoma ranks 44th in the nation on a list released Monday of the most and least welcoming states for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans. More and more, the question of where LGBTQ+ people feel safe is one of blue vs. red, according to advocacy group Out Leadership. LGBTQ+ equality fell across the board for the third straight year, according to Out Leadership's State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index shared exclusively with USA TODAY. But the sharpest declines came in Republican-led states. While progressive strongholds championed supportive policies and protections, conservative states elected a slate of leaders who openly oppose gay and trans rights and sponsored an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Out Leadership CEO and founder Todd Sears said. So-called 'Don't Say Gay' bills, religious exemptions and other legislation tanked the rankings of 19 red states in the Out Leadership index, according to Sears. Today, the divide between states that roll out the welcome mat and less hospitable parts of the country is wider than ever, he said. The least and most welcoming LGBTQ+ states Each year for the last seven, Out Leadership has released the State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index to gauge the overall climate for gay and transgender people state by state, mapping out where they will face the most and the least discrimination and hardship. Out Leadership's index measures the impact of state government policies and prevalent attitudes about the LGBTQ+ community, weighing factors such as support for young people and families, health access and safety, political and religious attitudes, work environment and employment and nondiscrimination protections. The Northeast had six of the 10 highest-ranked states, while the Southeast had six of the lowest-ranked. Massachusetts, led by the nation's first openly lesbian governor, Democrat Maura Healey and New York, which guaranteed gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ refugee protections, tied for first place in this year's index, with Connecticut and New Jersey close behind. The least LGBTQ+ friendly state was Arkansas, which ranked last for the third straight year. South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama also received low scores. The states that had the largest gains in the index were Kentucky and Michigan, which Out Leadership attributed to 'pro-equality' leadership from governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats. The steepest declines were in Ohio, Florida and Utah, all led by Republican governors. Where are the safest places to live? The Out Leadership index was created as a LGBTQ+ inclusion reference guide for business leaders. But gay and trans people soon began using it to figure out where they should – and should not – live and work, never more so than now as rights rollbacks from the Trump administration and red statehouses hit close to home. Opposition to transgender rights was a central plank in Trump's presidential campaign and since taking office he has signed a series of executive orders recognizing only male and female genders, keeping trans athletes out of women's sports, banning trans people from serving in the military and restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for trans people under age 19. Even states seen as safer for LGBTQ+ people have been navigating these edicts around trans athletes. Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California if a trans girl competed in a state track and field event held Saturday. AB Hernandez, a junior from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, shared first place in the high jump and triple jump and second in the long jump. She shared the awards podium with her cisgender competitors under a new rule drafted by state athletics officials days before the event to mollify critics. Republican-led states have been in the vanguard of anti-trans legislation, causing greater geographic polarization and prompting fears among LGBTQ+ residents, even those who live in liberal cities. Jordan McGuire, a 27-year-old gay man in North Dakota, said the years he spent living in the Deep South taught him about the repressive discrimination routinely faced by gay and genderqueer people. At the same time, socially progressive cities in conservative states like Fargo and Grand Forks are no longer the safe havens they once were, he said. Now that his fiancee is transitioning to female, the couple is exploring a move to a 'sanctuary' state that will be safer for them. 'It feels like five or 10 years ago, trans people were not under the same microscope they are now and that has definitely influenced our move,' McGuire said. 'Yeah, people were prejudiced but it wasn't a witch hunt. They weren't looking for people in bathrooms and schools. But now things are so polarized.' That rising anxiety was captured in a post-election survey from UCLA's Williams Institute which found that nearly half of transgender people had already fled unsupportive communities and nearly 1 in 4 were considering uprooting their lives. The most frequently cited reasons for wanting to move were concerns about LGBTQ+ rights – 76% – the sociopolitical climate – 71% – anti-trans rhetoric and climate – 60% – and anti-trans laws and policies – 47%. LGBTQ+ Americans on the move Interest in relocating to friendlier states is even higher today than it was after Trump's reelection, say nonprofit workers who aid trans and gender-diverse people relocate to more liberal states with broader protections. So far in 2025, Rainbow Railroad in Canada has received more than 3,000 requests from LGBTQ+ people living in the United States, up more than 1,000% from the same time last year, according to communications director Timothy Chan. Nearly all requested international relocation support. For now, Rainbow Railroad can't aid Americans with resettlement services because of immigration restrictions, Chan said. TRACTION has heard from a record number of people from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas with many of them reporting being threatened or feeling unsafe in their homes and neighborhoods, said Michael Woodward, the executive director of the trans-led organization in Washington state. Trans and gender-diverse people historically face financial hardship due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and need assistance finding jobs and housing as well as with interstate moving expenses that can run tens of thousands, Woodward said. TRACTION used to get a few applications a week until Trump won a second term. In the two weeks following the election, 'we received as many requests for assistance as we'd received in the entire life of the project thus far,' he said. After the inauguration, TRACTION started getting three to five applications every day. With one employee and a handful of volunteers, his organization is struggling to keep up with demand, Woodward said.
American Military News
29-04-2025
- General
- American Military News
Video: Black Hawk pilot ignored instructions before fatal collision: Report
A new report claims that the pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines airplane in January near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., ignored instructions from air traffic controllers to change course just prior to the fatal collision. The New York Times reported that Capt. Rebecca Lobach, the pilot of the Black Hawk involved in January's fatal collision that killed 67 individuals, was undergoing her yearly flight evaluation at the time of the collision. The outlet noted that Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves was operating as Lobach's flight instructor at the time of the incident. According to The New York Times, the Black Hawk helicopter was warned by air traffic controllers that a passenger airplane was nearby. The New York Times reported that while Lobach and Eaves acknowledged air traffic control's message, the Black Hawk helicopter requested authorization to fly by 'visual separation,' which allows aircraft to fly based on independent observations instead of following air traffic control's instructions. 'The Black Hawk was 15 seconds away from crossing paths with the jet. Warrant Officer Eaves then turned his attention to Captain Lobach. He told her he believed that air traffic control wanted them to turn left, toward the east river bank,' the report stated. 'Turning left would have opened up more space between the helicopter and Flight 5342, which was heading for Runway 33 at an altitude of roughly 300 feet. She did not turn left.' READ MORE: No survivors after American Airlines plane collides with Black Hawk helicopter in mid-air According to a U.S. Army press release, Lobach served as an aviation officer in the Army from July of 2019 to January of 2025 and had over 450 hours of flight time prior to January's fatal collision. The Army also confirmed that Lobach served as a White House military social aide under former President Joe Biden's administration. The New York Post reported that in addition to the Black Hawk pilot reportedly ignoring the instructions of air traffic controllers, technology on the helicopter that would have allowed air traffic controllers to better track the Black Hawk's movements was turned off at the time of the military training mission. Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, director of aviation for the Army, indicated that multiple factors led to the fatal collision between the Black Hawk helicopter and the passenger aircraft, according to The New York Post. In a statement obtained by The New York Post, Braman said, 'I think what we'll find in the end is there were multiple things that, had any one of them changed, it could have well changed the outcome of that evening.' REPORT: The female pilot flying the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines flight, made multiple mistakes and ignored a warning from her co-pilot, according to the New York Times. Tragic. The New York Times reports that there were multiple mistakes made… — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 27, 2025
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Report into Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines crash reveals fatal mistakes before collision
The pilot of the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into an American Airlines plane in DC made a fatal mistake in the moments before the collision, according to a new report. All 64 people on board the plane and three crew members on the Hawk were killed during the mid-air collision in Washington DC on January 29. Previous reports found that the chopper was flying too high when it collided with the passenger jet in America's worst aviation disaster since 2001. Now an investigation by The New York Times has looked at the other errors that led up to the crash. Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach failed to follow instructions from her co-pilot and flight instructor, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, who reportedly asked her to change course, according to The Time s. The Black Hawk crew was said to have been first alerted to a regional passenger jet in its vicinity by Ronald Reagan National Airport air traffic control. Eaves and Lobach acknowledged the message, and asked to fly by 'visual separation', a common procedure that allows the pilot to avoid collisions by sight rather than relying on air traffic control instructions. A controller approved the request but it appears not to have been followed. The Hawk was 15 seconds away from crossing paths with the jet when Eaves told Lobach to take a sharp left toward the east river bank, the Times reports. But this turn failed to happen, and the two aircraft struck one another. The report goes on to say that radio communication between air traffic controllers and the pilots became disrupted, with some of the air instructions being 'stepped on'. This meant that communication dropped as soon as a member of the Hawk crew pressed down on the microphone to speak, and subsequently, key information may have gone unheard. There were other issues that contributed to the tragedy, the investigation found. Technology that tracked the aircraft's movements over the Potomac was switched off at the time of the crash, Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, told The Times. It was reportedly done to comply with U.S. Army protocol, which allows for pilots to practice secretly while airlifting a senior government official in an emergency. Air traffic control errors may also have played a part, the report adds. After giving the Hawk crew permission for visual separation, air control staff continued to monitor its movements but failed to deliver vital emergency instructions to the members as they closed in on the AA jet, aviation experts said. Captain Lobach and Warrant Officer Eaves were believed to be wearing night-vision goggles at the time of the military exercise, according to investigators. Such equipment was necessary for her evaluation as they can enhance visibility at night in complex surroundings, yet this can be skewered by bright urban lights, military pilots added. 'Multiple layers of safety precautions failed that night,' said the Federal Aviation Administration's deputy administrator under President Joe Biden, Katie Thomson. Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, the Army's director of aviation, added: 'I think what we'll find in the end is there were multiple things that, had any one of them changed, it could have well changed the outcome of that evening.' In statement to The Times the FAA said it could not discuss any aspect of its ongoing investigation into the deadly crash. The Army has since made changes to how its helicopters use a safety system that broadcasts aircraft location and has reduced the number of flights over Washington following the DC crash, the head of Army aviation said earlier this month. The FAA has also permanently closed a route along the Potomac River that directly intersected the flight path for the runway where January's collision took place.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Countdown to disaster: How a series of fatal mistakes in tragic final seconds caused a Black Hawk chopper to collide with jet killing 67 in Washington DC
A new report has unveiled the failings that led to a collision between a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet over Washington DC that ended with all 67 passengers dead at the bottom of the Potomac River. The tragic incident unfolded on the night of January 29 when Army Black Hawk pilot Capt. Rebecca Lobach was undergoing an annual flight evaluation overseen by her co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Lloyd Eaves. Her training sortie was conducted in one of the world's most tightly packed airspaces above the US capital, a stone's throw away from Ronald Reagan National Airport. Unsurprisingly, air traffic control (ATC) informed Lobach and the Black Hawk crew that a passenger jet was nearby. That jet was American Airlines flight 5342, a CRJ700 Bombardier flying from Wichita, Kansas, that was carrying 60 passengers and four crew. Both Lobach and Eaves acknowledged the message before requesting permission to fly by 'visual separation' - a practice that allows aircraft to avoid collisions based on their own observations instead of following instructions from the ATC tower. This suggests Lobach had spotted the plane herself, and her request was granted - but the Black Hawk helicopter continued to stray dangerously close to the flight path of the American Airlines jet which was descending from a higher altitude. Just 15 seconds before colliding with the commercial aeroplane, ATC instructed Lobach to make a left turn after issuing a command to 'pass behind' the oncoming aircraft. The Black Hawk did not change course. Then, just a few seconds before impact, co-pilot Eaves turned to Lobach in the cockpit and reiterated the instruction from air traffic control. His order fell on deaf ears, and at 8:47.59 pm ET, the night sky above Washington DC was briefly illuminated by the fireball that erupted as the two aircraft collided. Though it remains unclear why Lobach defied orders, Aviation experts predict she might have been 'blindsided' that the American Airlines flight was 'circling' Runway 33 that night Investigators may never know exactly why Lobach did not move to avoid the passenger jet. There is no indication that Lobach suffered a medical emergency at the time of the crash and it is clear that the procedures for flying under 'visual separation' were not properly observed. But an investigation by the New York Times revealed that communication failings likely contributed to the horrific crash. 'Multiple layers of safety precautions failed that night,' Katie Thomson, the Federal Aviation Administration's deputy administrator under the Biden administration, told the NYT. Some of the radio instructions issued by ATC were reportedly 'stepped on' - meaning that they cut out when the helicopter crew pressed a microphone to speak and meant that the pilots may not have received important information. 'If the key is depressed, the pilot can speak but not hear incoming communications,' the report said. The American Airlines flight was 'circling' its runway before coming into land that night. It was also instructed to land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National, while previous flights had landed on another runway. Investigators now believe the Black Hawk crew did not hear the word 'circling' because they might have been pressing the microphone key to talk at the same time the crucial term came through. They may also not have expected the American Airlines flight to adjust its course to land on a different runway. National Transportation Safety Board chairperson Jennifer Homendy also confirmed to the NYT that another key instruction issued by ATC that told the Black Hawk to 'pass behind' the oncoming aircraft was stepped on. 'At 8:47:42 - or 17 seconds before impact - a radio transmission from the tower was audible on both CVRs (cockpit voice recorders) directing the Black Hawk to pass behind the CRJ,' Homendy told reporters. 'CVR data from the Black Hawk indicated that the portion of the transmission that stated 'pass behind the' may not have been received by the Black Hawk crew.' Meanwhile, technology on the Black Hawk that would have allowed controllers to better track the helicopter was turned off. Although the additional safeguard went unused as part of army protocol, experts who spoke to the NYT said this could have helped ATC prevent the crash. Notable US commercial aircraft crashes February 12, 2009: a Colgan Air Bombardier aircraft flying from New York to the small town of Buffalo crashes, killing the 49 passengers onboard. January 15, 2009: a US Airways Airbus A320 carrying more than 150 people collides with a flock of birds before making a spectacular landing on the Hudson River in New York, thanks to the pilot's exemplary actions. August 27, 2006: a regional transport plane uses a wrong, unlit runway, rather than the designated one and crashes shortly after taking off from Lexington airport, Kentucky, killing around 50 people onboard. December 19, 2005: a Grumman G-73T Mallard hydroplane operated by Ocean Airways, connecting Miami and an island in the Bahamas, crashes into the sea shortly after takeoff, killing both crew members and 18 passengers. October 19, 2004: a BAE Jetstream 32 operated by AmericanConnection crashes near Kirksville, Missouri due to poor visibility. Both pilots and 11 out of the 13 passengers are killed. January 8, 2003: a US Airways Beechcraft 1900, flying between Charlotte, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina, crashes into a hangar shortly after takeoff. Both pilots and the 19 passengers onboard are killed. November 12, 2001: two months after the September 11 attacks, an American Airlines Airbus A-300, flying from New York to Saint-Domingue, crashes shortly after taking off from JFK airport. The 251 passengers and nine crew members are killed. On the ground, several houses are destroyed or damaged, and five residents killed. January 13, 1982: an Air Florida Boeing 737-222 hits a bridge over the Potomac before crashing into the river just after takeoff during a snowstorm. The crash kills 78 people including four motorists who were on the bridge. Lobach, Eaves and another crewmember aboard the Black Hawk were killed along with all 64 passengers and crew aboard the American Airlines flight when the aircraft collided plunged into the murky waters of the Potomac. The passenger plane, which recorded its altitude at 313 feet two seconds before the collision, was piloted by 34-year-old Jonathan Campos, whose relatives said had dreamed of flying since he was three. The jet's passengers ranged from a group of hunters to students and parents from northern Virginia schools to members of the Skating Club of Boston. They were returning from a development camp for elite junior skaters that followed the 2025 US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. The collision constituted the first fatal crash involving a US commercial airline since 2009, when 50 people died in Buffalo, New York, following a crash of a Bombardier DHC-C propeller aircraft. A recording of air traffic control communications revealed the shocked reactions of controllers as they witnessed the crash unfold in real time. 'Oh, oh my god! Tower, did you see that?' one worker is heard exclaiming. 'Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three,' one of the air traffic controllers can be heard saying in the audio from around the time of the crash. 'I don't know if you caught earlier what happened, but there was a collision on the approach into 33. We're going to be shutting down operations for the indefinite future,' another controller remarked. 'Both the helicopter and the plane crashed in the river,' a third air traffic controller can be heard saying. 'It was probably out in the middle of the river,' the controller said. 'I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven't seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit.' DC mobilised a huge rescue effort in the hours following the crash. Some 300 first responders were on scene within minutes, deploying in a fleet of inflatable rescue boats launched into the Potomac River from a point along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport. Other first responders set up light towers from the shore to illuminate the area near the collision site. At least a half-dozen boats were scanning the water using searchlights overnight as images showed vessels grouped around a partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane's fuselage.
