Washington DC hearth chief says 41 victims recovered, with 28 recognized
John Donnelly, chief of Washington DC Fireplace and EMS, is now talking.
Forty-one victims have been recovered and 28 of them have been positively recognized, he mentioned.
He added: “Our dive groups are working in focused areas, and extra Coast Guard belongings will arrive this afternoon. The salvage crews have begun to reach on the scene, they usually’re assessing the work that’s going to be wanted to recuperate the plane from the water.”
Key occasions
There at the moment are over 100 members of the family of the crash victims within the Washington space receiving briefings, Todd Inman of the Nationwide Transportation Security Board mentioned.
Nationwide Transportation Security Board night briefing begins
Todd Inman, a member of the Nationwide Transportation Security Board, is now briefing the general public on updates in Wednesday night time’s aviation crash.
Inman mentioned he had spent the final a number of hours with the members of the family of the handfuls of individuals killed within the crash, who’re having a really troublesome time, he mentioned.
Inman function now contains fact-finding and ensuring a tragedy like this “by no means occurs once more,” he mentioned.
Father of Black Hawk crew member killed in crash criticizes Trump for DEI feedback
Gary O’Hara, whose son Ryan O’Hara was one of many Black Hawk pilots killed after the helicopter collided with a business airline, has spoken out about his son’s love for his work, and the ache of listening to Donald Trump blame the tragedy on “DEI.”
“You must earn your spot to be moved into the ladder to be put into that helicopter. They don’t simply give it to you. You earn it,” the father told CBS News. “And you already know, all of these troopers that shield us, they earn their stripes each single day.”
New briefing from the Nationwide Transportation Security Board will occur quickly
The press briefing is anticipated in about ten minutes, and might be viewed online here.
Transgender pilot falsely recognized on X because the pilot of the downed Black Hawk: NYT
A transgender girl who serves as a helicopter pilot within the Virginia Air Nationwide Guard was falsely identified on social media because the pilot of the downed Black Hawk airplane, the New York Occasions reported. The false identification reportedly sparked tens of hundreds of posts and lots of of hundreds of views on X, a social media platform owned by Trump ally Elon Musk.
The pilot, who launched her personal social media video concerning the false claims, referred to as them “insulting to the households,” and mentioned, “They don’t deserve that. I don’t deserve this.” She didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from the New York Occasions.
As political assaults on transgender folks within the US have escalated previously 4 years, one frequent type of public harassment is falsely blaming a trans individual for having a task in a selected tragedy.
In late 2024, NBC information described this as “a pattern on the conservative web that now performs out after many high-profile crimes: Folks hunt for clues to attempt to join a given crime to transgender folks, or they leap to the conclusion {that a} suspect is transgender no matter whether or not proof factors that method or is related to the crime.”
‘Extremely uncommon:’ one one who died onboard helicopter not named
Earlier right this moment, the military launched the names of two of the troopers who had been onboard the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a business airliner close to Reagan airport on Wednesday night time.
However the military didn’t instantly launch the identify of the third soldier who died on the helicopter, saying it was withholding the identify at the family’s request.
The New York Occasions referred to as the selection to not launch the third soldier’s identify “a unprecedented step,” and “highly unusual” noting that “sometimes, the names of service members killed throughout a peacetime accident or in fight zones are made public about 24 hours after their kinfolk have been notified”.
The Occasions and different retailers have reported that the third, not-yet-identified soldier is a girl.
On Thursday, 6ABC Motion Information and different retailers cited an official spokesperson, Jonathan Koziol, a retired military chief warrant officer, who described the Black Hawk helicopter crew as a “very experienced group” of pilots.
“Koziol confirmed to reporters on a convention name that the male teacher pilot had greater than 1,000 hours of flight time, the feminine pilot who was commanding the flight on the time had greater than 500 hours of flight time, and the crew chief was additionally mentioned to have lots of of hours of flight time,” 6ABC Motion Information reported.
The Black Hawk crew was on a routine night-time qualification flight, an annual examination by which an teacher pilot assessments one other pilot’s expertise in navigating the Washington space, Koziol instructed the information retailers.
Divisive feedback from Donald Trump and his prime officers, who’ve blamed the crash on previous range efforts throughout the Federal Aviation Authority with out providing any specifics, have put a further highlight on the identities of the pilots and the air site visitors controllers concerned within the crash.
Pete Hegseth, the previous Fox Information tv host who’s now Trump’s secretary of protection, mentioned in interviews simply months earlier than his affirmation that he doesn’t consider girls ought to serve in army fight roles.
The Related Press has new details on the beforehand introduced short-term restrictions on helicopter flights close to Reagan Nationwide airport:
The world over the Potomac River and close to the airport is now off-limits to most helicopters to make sure security within the aftermath of the crash, the FAA mentioned.
The exceptions embrace emergency medical helicopters, energetic regulation enforcement and air protection. The presidential helicopter Marine One can also be exempt.
The restrictions are anticipated to proceed at the very least till the Nationwide Transportation Security Board finishes its preliminary report, anticipated inside 30 days.
Efforts to recuperate our bodies of victims ‘heartbreaking’ work – hearth chief
The Potomac River is a grim place right this moment, as emergency responders continued to seek for the our bodies of greater than two dozen individuals who haven’t but been recovered.
“That is heartbreaking work,” Washington DC hearth chief John Donnelly mentioned at a press convention earlier right this moment, in response to the Related Press, noting that greater than 300 responders had been collaborating within the effort at anybody time, together with groups of divers and two US coast guard cutters, at the very least one among which carries a crane. “It’s been a troublesome response for lots of our folks.”
The Related Press additionally interviewed Dean Naujoks, who routinely patrols the Potomac for the environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance, and who had permission to be out on the river on Thursday.
Naujoks mentioned he noticed wreckage within the river that included pages from a flight guide, a part of the airplane’s cabin wall, a girl’s sweater, dozens of sugar packets with the American Airways emblem and what gave the impression to be the cushion from a pilot’s seat.
“The whole lot is roofed in jet gasoline,” Naujoks mentioned on Friday. “The sugar packets made me consider the flight attendants. I’m considering of the folks these items belonged to and it’s a punch to the intestine. It’s only a unhappy day on the river.”
Eric Adams, New York’s mayor, broadcasts {that a} 28-year-old New Yorker was one of many 67 victims on the flight.
In a post on social media, Adams mentioned that on Friday, he discovered that “one of many 67 victims of the heartbreaking crash on Wednesday was a fellow New Yorker, Melissa Jane Nicandri.”
“At simply 28 years previous, her life was tragically lower quick” he mentioned. “My coronary heart and my prayers exit to her family members.”
Her household mentioned that she was coming back from a piece journey in Kansas, and was connecting via Reagan.
Her mom instructed The Gothamist that “she was an incredible girl, she was an incredible lady and had a lot going for her”.
She lived in Brooklyn Heights, her mom mentioned.
Sean Duffy, the US transportation secretary, has confirmed that efficient right this moment, the Federal Aviation Administration will prohibit helicopter site visitors round Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide airport.
“In the present day’s determination will instantly assist safe the airspace close to Reagan airport, making certain the security of airplane and helicopter site visitors,” Duffy said, including that that is a part of the US Division of Transportation’s “ongoing dedication to safeguarding our nation’s skies and upholding the best requirements of air journey security”.
“The American folks deserve full confidence in our aviation system and right this moment’s motion is a big step in the direction of restoring that belief” he mentioned.
The restricted space contains Memorial Bridge to South Capitol Road Bridge, excluding the Tidal Basin, Haines Level to Wilson Bridge and excessive of DCA, he added.
Duffy mentioned that the choice was made with the help of Donald Trump and in session with secretary of protection, Pete Hegseth.
The US military has launched the names of two of the three troopers killed in Wednesday’s midair collision, however withholds the identify of the third on the household’s request.
The military identified two of the troopers killed was workers sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, and chief warrant officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Nice Mills, Maryland.
“On the request of the household, the identify of the third soldier won’t be launched at the moment,” a military assertion mentioned.
Eaves served within the US navy from August 2007 to September 2017 earlier than transitioning to a Black Hawk pilot for the military in September of 2017. His stays haven’t but been recovered.
O’Hara started serving as Black Hawk helicopter mechanic in July 2014, and was deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017.
Each troopers have acquired numerous awards.
“Our deepest condolences exit to all of the households and associates impacted throughout this tragedy, and we’ll help them via this troublesome time,” Maj Gen Trevor J Bredenkamp, mentioned in an announcement.
“Our prime precedence is to help within the restoration efforts, whereas totally cooperating with the Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and different investigative businesses to find out the reason for this tragic incident,” he added.
The unified command has activated peer help for first responders, DC officers said on Friday.
The World Central Kitchen’s reduction group and lots of different native eating places have additionally offered meals and snacks to first responders, officers mentioned.