Chilling new details are coming to light in the aftermath of the worst aviation disaster to befall the US in decades.
According to reports, no less than sixty-seven people died in the devastating plane crash over D.C. on Wednesday night, when American Airlines flight 5342 collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter manned by three soldiers.
The commercial jet, which went down in the Potomac River, was traveling between Wichita, Kansas, and Reagan National Airport in D.C.. Tragically, it has since been confirmed that there were no survivors.
Victims of the crash
Among the victims of the crash – which President Donald Trump has since described as “preventable” – were multiple individuals from the figure skating world, including sisters Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, known on social media as the “Ice Skating Sisters”, and Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 World Champion pair skaters.
In the wake of the incident, the life stories of those who passed are being shared online, including that of Elizabeth Keys, an Ohio woman who died on her birthday after reportedly catching an early flight home to be with her boyfriend.
According to WSAZ, Elizabeth turned 33 on the day of the crash.
“Words cannot express how deeply Elizabeth, my Bitsy, will be missed. We are filled with unbearable sorrow and despair at our loss,” her family wrote in a statement.
They continued: “A 2014 graduate of Tufts University, Liz sailed all four years on the varsity team and made many lifelong friends there. In 2020, Liz graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, where she received her JD.
“This is just a snapshot of Elizabeth’s life, which was rich and full of beloved family and friends. She loved deeply and was deeply loved. Liz was a warm, generous woman. She was so fun—and funny! Liz had a sharp wit and appreciated it in others. Gatherings were always better when Liz was there; she was filled with light and joy. Liz was a dear friend to so many, offering her best self to them all. Her hugs were wonderful!”
Elizabeth, who worked as a Washington-based attorney, is said to have switched flights in order to spend her birthday with her long-term boyfriend David, who remembered her for being the person who always “pushed you to be the best version of yourself.”
American Airlines crash
At the time of writing, the cause of the crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. Reports claim the American Airlines jet collided with a US Army helicopter which was on a training mission.
Late on Wednesday evening, President Trump weighed in on the tragedy, claiming it “should have been prevented.”
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport,” Trump wrote on his own social media platform, Truth Social. “The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time.”
“It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane,” he went on. “This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!!”
In a Thursday morning press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed the president’s words. “We are going to wait for all the information to come in from, from this vantage point, but to back up what the president said, what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely,” he said.
Rest in peace to all those who lost their lives in this horrific accident.
