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Authorities have actually recuperated 41 bodies after an airplane crash in Washington DC.

Sixty-seven people were eliminated when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter collided mid-air on Wednesday night. Up until now, 28 bodies have actually been identified.

Both airplane crashed into the Potomac River after the crash. Some 300 workers were sent to the scene, but the rescue quickly became a recovery mission as authorities stated there were no survivors.

Washington crash: Follow the current updates

Federal private investigators have actually recovered the black boxes from the traveler jet, while authorities were still browsing for similar gadgets in the helicopter.

Meanwhile, amidst questions over how well the airport's control tower was staffed on the night of the crash, it's been verified that an air traffic control service supervisor had let a controller leave their shift early.

The detail, first reported by the New York Times, has actually been confirmed to Sky News' US News by a source knowledgeable about the investigation.

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It indicates a single controller was managing both plane and helicopter traffic in the area when the 2 airplane clashed.

It is allowable - however not optimum - for employment one controller to do both tasks, NBC News reported.

The American Airlines jet was carrying 60 travelers and four crew when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying 3 soldiers, soon before 9pm regional time on Wednesday.

Flight 5342 was preparing to arrive at runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it clashed with the helicopter in one of the most tightly controlled airspaces worldwide.

'Em ergency automobiles sped past me'

A guy whose other half was on the flight has actually remembered how he saw emergency situation services "speeding past" as he was waiting at the airport to select her up.

Hamaad Raza informed NBC News his better half of 2 years, Asra, had "texted me [and] stated, 'We're landing in 20 minutes'".

" I was waiting and I started seeing a bunch of EMS cars speeding past me ... method too lots of, [more] than regular and my texts weren't going through."

Trump makes unproven variety drive claim

Donald Trump has linked a variety drive at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under previous federal governments to the crash.

It has since been said there is no proof to support the US president's claim.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Mr Trump recommended the variety efforts had actually made air travel less safe.

At a White House press instruction on Friday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Mr Trump had actually signed a memorandum directing an immediate assessment of FAA hiring decisions made throughout the previous administration.

While Mr Trump's claim appears to have actually been unmasked, there are questions over staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport.

NBC News reported staffing in the air traffic control tower was "not normal", according to a preliminary FAA report.

The tower typically has a controller who focuses specifically on helicopter traffic - however at the time of the crash, a source said, one controller was overseeing both aircraft and helicopter activity.

The FAA, which manages air traffic control service in addition to accreditation of workers and airplane, is without a permanent administrator. Its former manager Michael Whitaker stepped down on 20 January - the day of Mr Trump's inauguration.

Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app Mr Trump has actually designated an acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, in the wake of the crash.

Mr Whitaker had actually clashed with Mr Trump's confidante Elon Musk over the SpaceX rocket launches throughout his period at the FAA.

Since starting as head of the administration in October 2023, he was also required to respond to Boeing's security and quality problems, and worked to hire more air traffic controllers due to a shortage of staff.

Find out more:. Washington DC plane crash: What we understand up until now. Air traffic control service heard diverting aircrafts minutes after collision

At his instruction, Mr Trump blamed former president Joe Biden for reducing standards for air traffic controllers.

" We need to have our most intelligent individuals," he stated. "They need to be naturally talented geniuses."

Mr Trump added: "The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a variety and addition hiring initiative spelled out on the company's site."

The American Association of People with Disabilities reacted to these claims, stating in a declaration on X: "FAA staff members with specials needs did not trigger [the] awful plane crash.

" The examination into the crash is still ongoing. It is exceptionally inappropriate for the president to use this disaster to press an anti-diversity hiring program. Doing so makes all Americans less safe."

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Mr Trump said after being sworn in recently, he signed an executive order which "restored the greatest standards of air traffic controllers".

At a later rundown, he was asked if gender or race played a role. He answered: "It might have, I don't understand.