Two airport staff members with access to CCTV footage of a collision between a commercial aircraft and a military helicopter have been taken into custody for releasing the video.
On the night of January 29, the United States experienced its most severe aviation disaster since 2001. All 67 individuals involved in the Washington DC plane crash are feared dead, although authorities have confirmed the identities of only 55 victims.
Pilots Jonathan Campos and Samuel Lilley were operating Flight 5342, a PSA Airlines flight under American Airlines, when they approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The aircraft, carrying 60 passengers and two crew members, collided with a Black Hawk helicopter.
The helicopter was transporting three US soldiers engaged in a training mission, while the passenger jet was completing its journey from Wichita, Kansas, lasting two hours and 45 minutes.
Two employees of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) have been detained on allegations of making unauthorized copies of surveillance footage depicting the collision moment.
Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, from Rockville, Maryland, was charged on January 31 with computer trespass for ‘making an unauthorized copy of Airports Authority records,’ as stated by MWAA spokesperson Crystal Nosal on Monday.
He was held at Arlington County jail in Virginia, but has since been released.
On February 2, Jonathan Savoy, 45, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, faced similar charges of computer trespass. Like Mbengue, Savoy has also been released from custody.
CNN acquired the content allegedly captured by the suspects, which provides clear footage of the tragic event.
The news outlet detailed the recordings, indicating that both aircrafts ‘are visibly flying towards one another, leading to an explosion and their subsequent descent into the river following the fatal blast.’
American Airlines provided a statement about the incident: “American Eagle Flight 5342 traveling from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington, D.C. (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines with a CRJ-700.
“The aircraft had 60 passengers and four crew members on board. Our primary concern is for those on board the aircraft. We are working with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.
“If you suspect that loved ones may have been on Flight 5342, contact American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215. For international calls, visit news.aa.com for additional contact numbers. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly.”
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