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Washington DC plane crash live: flight data and cockpit voice recorders recovered, officials say

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Washington DC plane crash live: flight data and cockpit voice recorders recovered, officials say


Key events

What caused this tragic aviation disaster is not yet known, but the National Transportation Safety Board investigators has said it will have a preliminary report within 30 days.

Despite the lack of clarity, newly inaugurated US president Donald Trump has accused his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden of lowering hiring standards and suggested the Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity push could have weakened its capabilities.

The comments come as president Trump has pushed back against what he has described as the “woke policies” of his predecessor.

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US President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference on an aircraft collision at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on 30 Janunary, 2025. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock

Asked if the crash was caused by diversity hiring, he said: “It just could have been.”

The Trump administration has not provided any proof to back these assertions, and there is no evidence that efforts to make the federal workforce more diverse have compromised air safety.

Following the crash, Trump signed an executive order on aviation safety that rolls back diversity initiatives and repeated claims without evidence that those initiatives contributed to Wednesday’s fatal collision.

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Satellite images of earlier recovery efforts

A satellite image shows an overview of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and crash recovery operations in progress in the Potomac River after a Black Hawk helicopter struck the American Eagle Flight 5342, an American Airlines passenger jet, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 30, 2025. Photograph: Maxar Technologies/Reuters

A closer view below:

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A satellite view shows recovery operations in progress in the Potomac River, in Washington
A satellite image shows runway 33 and crash recovery operations in progress in the Potomac River after a Black Hawk helicopter struck the American Eagle Flight 5342, an American Airlines passenger jet, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 30, 2025.
Photograph: Maxar Technologies/Reuters
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It’s almost 10pm in Washington DC, and almost 24 hrs since a fatal mid-air collision between a regional passenger jet and a US Black Hawk military helicopter – a tragedy that has been described as one of the worst aviation disasters in the US in decades.

There were 67 people on board both aircraft, and there are no survivors.

The wreckage of an Army helicopter lies in shallow water after it collided with an American Airlines jet and both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River in Washington DC on Thursday, 30 January, 2025. All 67 people aboard the two aircraft died in the crash late Wednesday, officials said. Photograph: Ken Cedeno/UPI/REX/Shutterstock

Washington’s fire and emergency department said its divers had searched all accessible areas and would conduct additional searches to locate aircraft components on Friday.

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Opening summary

Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of Wednesday’s night’s collision between a regional passenger jet and a military helicopter near Washington DC’s Reagan airport.

The flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been recovered from the American Airlines flight, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced, and they are now at the NTSB’s labs for evaluation.

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The NTSB said earlier on Thursday that it was too soon to determine the causes of the disaster and pledged to release a preliminary report within 30 days.

Early scrutiny focused on an initial Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report on the incident which called the staffing levels at a DC air control tower “not normal,” since one controller was reportedly handling both helicopters and planes.

But the Associated Press and CNN have both reported that sources told them this level of staffing was, in fact, “normal” or “not uncommon.” The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers and identified fatigue as a factor that might lead to mistakes, the Associated Press noted.

Here’s a summary of other developments:

  • With the 67 people aboard both the American Airlines flight and the army Black Hawk helicopter all presumed dead, the collision is being called “the deadliest aviation disaster” in the US since 2001. At least 28 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River, with recovery operations ongoing.

  • A day before Wednesday night’s midair collision near Reagan airport, a different jet there had to abort its landing and make a second approach after a helicopter appeared near its flight path, the Washington Post reported.

  • The US army saw an increase in very serious aviation incidents during the last fiscal year, with 15 flight and two ground incidents that resulted in deaths of service members, destruction of aircraft, or more than $2.5m in damage to the airframe, the Associated Press reported,

  • Donald Trump and members of his administration claimed, without evidence, that diversity efforts at the FAA under the Biden and Obama administration could be to blame for the crash, with Trump specifically claiming that the FAA had been accused of being “too white,” and suggesting efforts to hire Americans with disabilities were irresponsible.

  • Trump signed an executive order that rolls back diversity initiatives to stop “woke policies” in federal aviation.

  • The Trump administration’s choice to draw an unfounded connection between a deadly tragedy and diversity initiatives at a press conference sparked broad condemnation from Democratic politicians. They called the comments “disgusting,” “despicable,” and “racist,” with Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries saying that Trump was “blaming women and people of color for the deadly plane crash.”

  • As many as 14 skaters and coaches, including two 16-year-olds and a married pair of world champions, were onboard the American Airlines plane. The Skating Club of Boston said Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, both aged 16, and the Russian-born ice skating coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were husband and wife, were on the flight.

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Washington, D.C

This YouTube Chef Just Opened A New Restaurant In Washington, D.C.

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This YouTube Chef Just Opened A New Restaurant In Washington, D.C.


A new dining destination just opened in Washington, D.C.’s vibrant Columbia Heights neighborhood. Fraîche, derived from the French word for fresh, artfully elevates traditional comfort foods into refined gourmet dishes. Founded by self-taught chef, cookbook author and YouTube sensation Matt Price, Fraîche combines French, Cajun, South American, and Caribbean cuisines into a compelling fusion fare.

Price envisions Fraîche as a place where guests can enjoy an upscale dining experience in a “non-pretentious way.” The elegant 110-seat restaurant, housed in a historic former theater, has three distinct zones accented by luxurious green and gold jewel tones. The Greenhouse, complete with opulent decor, wood tables, and high ceilings, serves as the restaurant’s principal dining space. The Press Lounge offers a sophisticated venue for cocktail hours and social gatherings, while the Essence Lounge is a cozy spot for those preferring a more intimate setting. For entertainment, the restaurant provides a DJ or live entertainment on select nights and will soon begin a weekend brunch service.

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What can diners expect on the menu at Fraîche?

Fraîche’s menu includes dishes such as oxtail meatballs, Cajun mussels and mambo fried snapper. Another popular dish, the Golden Gate Noodles, features a San Francisco-inspired garlic noodle that can be customized with a variety of proteins like short ribs and crab. Also on the menu are an enticing version of deviled eggs topped with crispy fried chicken, house-made hot honey and caviar and desserts like butterscotch bread pudding, crème brûlée and macaroon cheesecake.

The cocktail list showcases inventive flavor profiles, including a spritz made with Lillet Blanc, Cava and soda. There’s also the Creole Coco, a combination of coconut bourbon, cognac and bitters and the Ciel Lavande, a floral concontion that pairs lavender vodka with Riesling. Price says his favorite drinks of the moment are the Golden Sage, followed closely by the Fraîche Old Fash, a slightly sweeter, more playful take on the classic Old Fashioned.

Chef Matt Price’s Culinary Journey

Price, a native of Richmond, Virginia, took an unconventional path to the culinary world. He began cooking as a passion project in his late teens and launched a food blog, “Mr. Make It Happen,” in 2018 as a side endeavor alongside his corporate job. Known online as “Mr. Make It Happen,” Price quickly attracted a dedicated following, prompting him to start a YouTube channel in 2019, where he shared his love for food with a growing audience.

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Reflecting on his online fame, Price notes, “When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, more people were cooking at home, and my YouTube channel took off.” Price’s YouTube channel has since amassed nearly 1.4 million followers, with an additional 1.1 million followers on Instagram. His star continued to rise when he teamed up with fellow YouTube chefs Kimmy’s Kreations and One Stop Shop in 2023 for “For the Foody’s Tour,” a 20-event multi-city fine dining experience. Price has also launched several successful product lines, including seasonings, kitchen accessories and a hybrid skillet. He says Fraîche represents the next evolution of his culinary journey.

“I chose D.C. because it’s always felt like a second home. I lived there before, and it’s the closest major market with the right energy,” says Price. He adds that the opportunity aligned with working with people he trusts in the industry. Chef Melville Bowrin, Jr. and Chef de Cuisine Rico Yarbrough oversee the day-to-day operations of Fraîche’s kitchen. Bowrin, originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, brings decades of restaurant experience with the Hilton Hotel Group, while Yarbrough, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has worked as executive chef at local establishments such as The Avery Kitchen and Bar.

Price is redefining what it means to be a chef in the digital age. He says he thrives on a challenge and believes there’s no industry more demanding or rewarding than the restaurant industry. Starting Fraîche has given him the opportunity to prove himself in the food industry, where, according to Price, “internet chefs” don’t always get taken seriously. He says, “Sure, anyone can film themselves making chicken alfredo, but building a restaurant from the ground up? That’s a whole different level.”

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Anti-Trump summit in DC evacuates after receiving ‘credible bomb threat’

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Anti-Trump summit in DC evacuates after receiving ‘credible bomb threat’


A gathering of anti-Trump conservatives in Washington DC was evacuated on Sunday after receiving what officials with the organization called a “credible bomb threat” they said was sent in by an account claiming to represent Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys.

Video of attendees being evacuated was posted to Twitter along with a statement from summit organizers. An initial version of the statement identified Tarrio — who’d been at the summit on Saturday “harrassing” families of officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, per organizers — as having sent in the threat.

“Hotel security, private security, and MPD have made the decision to evacuate Summit floor so that the area can be secured. We intend to reconvene and continue with the Summit once the area has been secured,” read the statement from the summit’s organizers on Sunday afternoon.

It was edited within a few minutes to say that the threat was sent by an account “claiming” to represent Tarrio, who was also arrested this weekend at the Capitol after allegedly assaulting a counter-protester.

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The Independent has reached out to convention organizers for more information on the account where the bomb threat originated.

Tarrio himself responded with an apparent threat to sue for defamation in a tweet: “They literally edited their tweet. Too late you f—ing scumbags. You don’t get to retract now. PRESERVE YOUR F—ING DOCUMENTS.”

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The summit was attended by numerous high-profile opponents of Donald Trump and the MAGA wing of the Republican Party. It’s also known as a sort of “CPAC alternative”, given that it is held the same weekend as the three-day CPAC gathering in National Harbor, just across the river from downtown DC.

Guests this year included hosts and writers from The Bulwark, an anti-Trump conservative publication, including Sarah Longwell, J.V. Last and Tim Miller, as well as the remnants of the Republican Party’s anti-Trump circles. Other speakers included George Conway, attorney and ex-husband to Kellyanne Conway, and former RNC chairman Michael Steele, now an MSNBC host, as well as billionaire Mark Cuban.

Former CNN reporter Jim Acosta posted an image of the alleged bomb threat to Twitter; the image names Cuban, Fanone, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and other attendees, whom the author says “deserve to die.”

The statement posted by Acosta refers to multiple explosive devices. Police have not yet authenticated the threat, and the image does not mention Tarrio or any social media accounts by name.

Police officers who gained national prominence for speaking out about the assault on the Capitol and what they witnessed that day, including Michael Fanone, Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonell also attended the conference. They testified in the wake of the attack to hearing racist and extremely violent rhetoric hurled at them by protesters — including the hundreds pardoned by Donald Trump after his inauguration — while battling rioters in the halls of Congress.

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On Friday, they traded insults with Tarrio as he followed them through the lobby of the Marriott in downtown DC, where the Principles First summit was held this weekend.

“You’re a traitor to this country,” an angry Fanone told Tarrio as the former Proud Boys leader attempted to instigate a verbal showdown.

DC has been slightly on edge all weekend, thanks to the arrival of the MAGA influencer sphere for the CPAC conference. Protesters hurled abuse at partygoers attending a DOGE “appreciation party” in northeastern DC on Saturday, while some January 6 rioters/social media stars were thrown out of CPAC itself, clashing with host Matt Schlapp in the process.





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Demonstration in support of Ukraine takes place in Washington, DC – photos

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Demonstration in support of Ukraine takes place in Washington, DC – photos


A demonstration in support of Ukraine. Photo: Ostap Yarysh on Facebook

A large-scale demonstration in support of Ukraine is taking place in Washington, DC, in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday.

Source: Voice of America correspondent Ostap Yarysh on Facebook

A demonstration in support of Ukraine

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All photos: Ostap Yarysh on Facebook

 

A demonstration in support of Ukraine

Quote: “Now: A large demonstration in support of Ukraine in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC”.

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A demonstration in support of Ukraine

 

A demonstration in support of Ukraine

Details: Yarysh stated that the demonstrators are holding posters stating “Ukraine is not for sale”, “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine”, and “Stop the aggressor by force!”

 

A demonstration in support of Ukraine

As shown in the photo, the posters also say “US, stop Putin.” Keep your promise or return Ukraine’s nuclear weapons”, “Stop the aggressor by force”, and so on.

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