among the victims were russian ice skating coaches and some of the teenagers they trained. donald trump blames diversity policies for making air travel less safe. and our other main stories on the programme today: it is the russell brand show!

and more hostages released under the gaza ceasefire deal, on bbc london... the leaseholders claiming they've good evening. you are very welcome. here in washington dc, an investigation is under way

collided and crashed into the potomac river. 67 people have been killed. so far about events leading up to the crash. its route shown here in red, was approaching from the north. the one you can see here,

captured that moment. in the freezing cold potomac river, emergency the night 7133655?ng 7 looking for survivors. desperately lbakingfar survivors. wreckage of desperately ladkingfdr sarvivars. wreckage of american airlines the wreckage of american airlines 5342 is in three separate flight 5342 is in three separate pieces in the there pieces in the water. there were 60 and four crew on board, passengers and four crew on board. .. soldiers in the three soldiers in the army . that collided with helicopter that collided with it. the at least 30 people the bodies of at least 30 people killed in accident have so so far. cctv pictures show moment of recovered so far. cctv pictures show the moment of impact, very low in sky over washington, dc, the the sky over washington, dc, the helicopter the plane rapidly helicopter and the plane rapidly heading towards each other and then, headlng towards each other and then. see the sudden on �*footage, we see the closer footage, we could see the crash clearly. by morning, it crash quite clearly. by morning, it was obvious that no one had survived the crash. despite all those efforts, which we

now deploying, we are now are now deploying, we are new from a are now deploying, we are now from a rescue operation to switching from a rescue operation to a operation. at this point, 7 7ee’lie’vémw'm 7 7be7li7e7ve7there7777777 believe there are 7 believe there are any 7 we don't believe there are any survivors from this sad scene, and have recovered 2? heme recaeered 2? people from heme recoeered 2? people from the ehd ohe ehd one the helicopter. ere one the helicopter. ere ohe “lrom licopter. ere ohe “lrom eir pter. there are recordings from air traffic accident an investigation is already way into how this accident could have occurred on a night when have occurred on a clear night when both aircraft were following standard flight patterns. military helicopters do fly over and around -.. ..--... 73711777 zlfiiié 7 7$57d7t7hi£ washington all the time, and this blackhawk was on a night training we 7 7 we air traffic 7 7 77speaking 6 speaking to the 77 that (ing to the 1271? 77 that he] to the 1271? w "that heicohld is; the pilot, that he could see the �*jet, and was told to passengerjet, and was told to pass behind the plane before the president trurnp asked for

collision. president trump asked for silence for what he a moment's silence for what he called a tragedy of terrible proportions, before quickly blaming equal opportunity policies at air traffic for making flying traffic control for making flying less safe. the initiative is part of the faa's the initiative is eart ef thofaa= . ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and the initiative is eart ef thofaa= , , ~ . and inclusion the ihitiethle ie eert ef thefaa= , , ~ . and inclusion plan. diversity and inclusion hiring plan. think of that. the initiative is part of the faa's diversity and hiring plan, which inclusion hiring plan, which says diversity is to achieving diversity is integret'ta'echieving mission of diversity is integrst'ta'schieving mission of achieving and faa's mission of achieving safe and efficient travel. i don't think so. i it is just the opposite. can you come to 7 can you come to the can you come to the conclusion how can you come to the conclusion i’ilht how can you come to the conclusion right now_ how can you come to the conclusion right now that diversity had z— z: e= _: §—= e to do with this crash? something to do with this crash? i something to do with this crash? - i have _ something to do with this crash? i have sense, 0k? because i have common sense, 0k? and it isjust because i have common sense, 0k? and it is just common sense, apparently. no evidence has been presented to connect diversity policies with or any air policies with this or any air accident. but donald trump has instantly turned a into yet instantly turned a tragedy into yet another battleground in his culture �*against 7 �*against whiat he calls the wokism h} says has he says has american that he says has infected american public life.

eyewitnesses say everything about the plane's approach into washington looked normal. nick eardley from bbc verify has this report. these are the moments before a military helicopter collided with an american airlines this live from the kennedy centre shows feed from the kennedy centre shows the of dc stop the skyline of washington, dc stop on the is the passenger plane, ed eft? figfii ii iii? passenger éléfiég a efi, iii? figfii ii iii? passenger éiéfiég a two 135, iii? figfii ii iii? eéiiéfigfi $55? a two hour flight from finishing a two hour flight from , on board, finishing o two hour flight froro , on board, 64 people, kansas; go board; foo paste f" figure kansas; go board; as asflats f" figure skaters returning kansas; go board; as asflats f" a figure skaters returning kansas; go board; as asflats f" a figure skaters the rning kansas; go board; as asflats f" a figure skaters the left, :""’i1e'iicl>})ie’r,' j 7' ' ire'iicghie'fivi’ithw” " 7' ' helicopterfwithrthree7 " 7' ' military helicopter, with three on board. and another people on board. and here, another passenger plane. it is very common people on board. and here, another passenger plane. it is very common for planes and helicopters to share for planes and helicopters to share passenger plane. it is very common for space in nd helicopters to share passenger plane. it is very common air space in for planes and helicopters to share for space in dc. elicopters to share passenger plane. it is very common for space in dc. in copters to share airspace in dc. in passenger plane. it is very common for space in dc. in fact, rs to share passenger plane. it is very common for space in dc. in fact, us:o share air space in dc. in fact, us for planes and helicopters to share air space in dc. in fact, us transportation secretary sean duffy transportation sean duffy transportation secretary sean duffy said out �*the ordinary said nothing out of the ordinary happened in the run—up to the crash. ssla fififfi'fifi fist fit tfié 39555? in eeie heeh'he eee ee eee efe'hee’ef in run—up eeie eeee'ee eee ee eee eee'eeee in run—up to crash. happened in the run—up to the crash. but there were at least two near but there were at least two near misses at airport last year misses at the airport last year watch 7 watch as e watch as both 7 move alone. watch as both aircraft move

alone, watch as both aircraft move over about a minute. closer together over about a minute. closer together over about a minute. this this is the flight path, according to a tracking website. the helicopter came from the top in red, the plane arriving from the bottom in blue. it is 8:47pm local time, around 25 seconds before impact. we also have air traffic control audio, which has been published online. as the two aircraft get closer, we can hear a conversation. this appears to be the air traffic controller flagging the presence of the plane. the helicopter is referred just not have

the black hawk mayjust not have seen, because aircraft was seen, becausetheaircraft was in in their peripheral coming in in their peripheral they have mistaken who vision, and they have mistaken who they are reporting to atc that they visual clearance of. have visual clearance of, the have visual clearance of. but the plane and the helicopter get other and then this f'fifé te each “the ene thé" �*h' ~~ ~ ~ , to the a'afé te each athe eee thé" �*h' ~~ ~ ~ , to the flight radar. happens. back to the flight radar. we see the plane and helicopter we can see the plane and helicopter close to other. �* plane is on a plane|sonasteady {for 5 eforilandinig.’ " {for landing. one tracking ads—b e e ads—b exchahge, e ads—b exchahge, records 7 ads—b exchahge, records the site, ads—b exchange, records the helicopter gaining losing helicopter gaining and losing altitude. this is the helicooter oainino ane losino ”so as , e e e e. the and its 60 passengers have plane and its 60 passengers have into the freezing potomac which had three soldiers on board. at least 15 passengers were athletes, coaches and

brimming with enthusiasm at a camp for the figure skating training camp for the figure skating champions of among them �*spencer e �*spencer at e �*spencer at lane, e the teenager spencer at lane, regional champion of promise e than 24 e than 2a hours ago, and passion. less tharqe—hwrs ago. and passion. lessrthanzlsrheersege. a national camp he said a nationateeveiopmentcampeo which it he said a nationatdeveiopmentcampeo which it had been an amazing in which it had eeeo an amazing but this picture was he posted, confirming last he posted, confirming what many within tragically what many within the figure skating had feared, ehe e e 5452335th heehaedbeeeeeneonee e eee 545233 eeeehesaehssidee 5342. so too had fellow jinna han. been accompanied on the both had been accompanied on the by their mothers and coaches, plane by their mothers and coaches, according the skating club of according to the skating club of boston, which has been left reeling. according to the skating club of bo: were nhich has been left reeling. according to the skating club of bo: were informed been left reeling. according to the skating club of bo: were informed of en left reeling. according to the skating club of bo: were informed of a1 left reeling. according to the skating club of bo: were informed of a pretty eeling. we were informed of e pretty tragedy. two coaches, two athletes, ee eeeaetirieeeeese,aenaeeeeeeee e e e eeaetehlee'teese, aendetheeeeee e e

e e e eaetehlee'teese, andetheeathletees' e six is six is a e six is aehorrific six is a horrific number us, but we are fortunate and focus, but we arefortunate and it tutu; but we arefortunate and it was not focus, but we arefortunate and it was not than six. grateful it was not more than six. this will have long reaching this will havelgsng reaehing "pacts our state community. — -e two coaches known to be on board the two coaches known to be on board were a married couple in 1994, were a marriee'soepee'wee; “q�*s-e world championship gold in pairs russia and competed eat the for russia and competed at the olympics. they have been helping to skaters in develop young skaters in boston since 2017. that as many as there are reports that as many as 15 people on the american airlines flight might have been involved in skating, representing figure skating, representing a quarter of all passengers, and a quarter of allpassengersrand a for the sport. eeeee leee eee eee eeeee e e eee ee e ee were eeeee leee eef eee eeeee e e eee ee e ee were so many eee??? [eee eef eee eeefe e e eee ee e ee were so many people on eee??? [eee eef eee eeeee e e eee ee e ee were so many people on that there were so many people on that flight, _ there were so many people on that flight, that— there were so many people on that flight, that these guys special our community, and l or community,nd the - to our community, and the development of skating throughout the world. please join us now in a the world. — please join us now in a moment of silence, _ please join us now in a moment of silence, as — please join us now in a moment of silence, as we _ please join us now in a moment of silence, as we think of— please join us now in a moment of silence, as we think of those -

please join us now in a moment of silence, as we think of those whoi silence, as we think of those who have been— silence, as we think of those who have been lost _ silence, as we think of those who have been lost and their- silence, as we think of those who have been lost and their loved i silence, as we think of those who i have been lost and their loved ones. e e e— edeyateeeee european tributes paid today at the european skating championships in fiqefe eeeeieq qeefieieeeeiee ie is the 55ng eeeeieg qeefieieeeeiee ie is the sport reflects estonia, is the'spdtete�*feece—e on and estonia, is the's’pdte'r’eflece—e on and talent taken too soon. livss and tata'nt�*taksn'too soon, scott, bbc news. the waters in freezing temperatures. a recovery operation. tom bateman reports. daybreak lit up the rescue site and divers braved the freezing waters of the potomac. given the temperatures, and the authorities said both aircraft had been located. it's been located in three different sections.

of the aircraft. recovery teams have discovered debris as far afield this is one of the closest points that we can now get to the airport, a bit further down the river here, as the investigation continues busiest air routes. kelly matthews runs a gym on the river where she says people yeah, everyone'sjust distraught, and yeah... yeah, so, it's been

shocking to everyone. i don't know, it's just kind of shocking. now a passenger plane and the helicopter remain in the waters within a few mile radius of the white house — one of the world's best known cityscapes and work no—one wanted to see — an accident officials say was absolutely preventable. sarah, we heard from president trump earlier, expressing his condolences about this event, but he also politicised it. very quick to blame politisissd it: very quisk toblams predecessors?

his e'eeeeeeee'e? it was an extraordinary press yes, it was an extraordinary press ww.” because he pivoted so conference, because he pivoted so from asking a moment of quickly from asking for a moment of silence for the of this into e intoepresidents ee e e into presidents biden e e into presidents biden and ripping into presidents biden and obama, saying had obama, saying their policies had made �*travel obama, saying their policies had made �* travel considerably less safe, and—fa ndamantally blaming opportunity safe, andrfondamantally blaming opportunity and equal opportunity and diversity policies for bringing the wrong people into the air traffic control, think is what he was at, i think'is’wha�*thswas getting at. who he i think'is’wha�*thewas getting at. who he was suggesting were people who he was suggesting were not up to the job. but he also not up to the job. but he did also say they didn't know what this crash, but we have caused this crash, but we have some very strong and he very strong ideas and opinions, he said. he had no evidence for his blaming of equal opportunity blaming of these equal opportunity hiring policies, and the man who was hiring policies, and themaawhewas transport secretary the transport secretary under president pete hit president biden, pete buttegieg, hit very e e president biden, pete buttegieg, hit very quickly, e e president biden, pete buttegieg, hit very quickly, it president biden, pete buttegieg. hit very quickly, it was ,t°., ., etoeeand ee e to e and turn e to e and turenthis e to e and turn thisinto despicable to try and turn this into a political and he said that apolitical battle, and he said that trump should be leaving, not apolitical battle, and he said that in rump should be leaving, not apolitical battle, and he said that in a mp should be leaving, not apolitical battle, and he said that in a mp shou like leaving, not apolitical battle, and he said that in a mp shou like this. ng, not apolitical battle, and he said that

in a mp shou like this. not not tying:in'a'sitdation'tike'this. not is it extraordinarily e it's really unusual it's really unusual to political,thsreallgludusdai to the finger of blame any point the finger of blame in any direction this early into an investigation like this. normally, eeeealejtehorities,e e e eeeealejtehorities, the ee ee ee eealejtehorities, the politicians, scrupulous about not assigning are scrupulous about not assigning any blame they have far more any blame until they have far more facts, but donald has clearly any blame until they have far more facts, up donald has clearly any blame until they have far more facts, up that ald has clearly any blame until they have far more facts, up thatald book has clearly any blame until they have far more facts, up that ald book and clearly any blame until they have far more facts, up thatald book and decided can the finger of blame he can point the finger of blame where it best suits him, before where it best suits him, even before he facts to back it up. he has the facts to back it up. sarah, thank you. back to the studio. eight more hostages have been released under the gaza ceasefire deal, three of them israeli, five of them thai nationals. in southern gaza took place.

appeared in avant—garde films. she also starred in the film hamlet. she to e to make e albums in her went on to make 29 albums in'her she was for a career. she was nominated for a grammy in 1981 for best female grammy back in 1981 for best female rock vocal performance. a couple of years in 2024, actuallyjust year, use. use. year, she sold last year, she sotd'hermemorabilia that she a; teo looking up. preferred gardening to looking up. some images of the singer— song on the marianne faithful. we just heard in the last few moments she died at the age of 78. nice to hear that again. eagain. we will have more on music again. we will have more on. death when we get more

her death when we get more details the programme. let's turn '3te ie the aficamme lets tue ~ ~ ~~ , ~ develop it '3te ih the aficamme lets tuh ~ ~ ~~ , ~ develop it in the middle east. to develop it in the middle east. more than 100 palestinian prisoners arrived in eaerrivedein erqbqeuaeii e e e e e arrived in ramallah in eee eaerrivedein eraemaellaehe ienetheee e e arrived in ramallah in the west have arrived in ramallah in the west bank after were freed from an bank after they were freed from an israeli jail. hamas that paleestinian palestinian prisoners were freed ii!) palestinian. prisoners were treed 0f ii!) palestinian. prisonersweretreed of those 32 had been today. of those 32 had been sentenced to life, 48 eeeeeeleoeng long sentences and 30 serving long sentences and 30 children's on the with the children's on the list with the youngest at just 15. images children's on the list with the youngest atjust 15. images showed ee eeeecearryireig e carryireeig the e e e carryireeig the releaesee buses carrying the release prisoners. as you can see there they arrived through huge for arrived through huge shares for the early israel the release and early israel delayed the release and protests at the chaotic handover of hostages in gaza. eight people have hostages in. ease; eightuefeule base �*been hostages in. essa; eightussuls hses �* been released hostages in. easat eight'o'eoole haee �* been released today after they ggwgbeen released today after they held �* more than 15 were'hetd hostageformorethan 15 including seven in carr and months. including seven in carr and eunice where crowds gathered around red cross vehicles. this was the red cross vehicles. this was the moment one of the hostages 80—year—old moses his way

80—year—oldrgaddy—mosestmade histway— the ground for the 20—year—old to the ground for the 20—year—old soldier was the first to be released today. she is now safely in today. she is now safely arrived in israel. the third of the hostages being moved between cars. they're been emotional scenes the been emotional scenes as the hostages reunited with their some of the family is spoken of their relief at having their loved ones home. hamas is also tight nationals taken five tight nationals takenhostages the attacks five tight national—s takenhostages the attacks on the of october in the attacks on the 7th of qctober will speak to our 2023 will speak to our in middle east correspondence in the middle east covering of those releases. covering most of those releases. nick beek tel aviv. we're davis nick beek in tel aviv. we're qavis

ramallah occupied west isn't ramallah in occupied west bank. it wasn't long ago that we bank. it wasn't too long ago that we saw those scenes is more than 100 palestinian prisoners were released. you were there as it was. all— , , . tell us you were there as it was all— , , . tell us more. you were there as it was all, ~———~r——— w—m— tell us more. unfolded. tell us more. it was quite inexperienced. _ unfolded. tell us more. it was quite inexperienced. chaotic _ unfolded. tell us more. it was quite inexperienced. chaotic but - inexperiencedgchaotic but joyous scenes in ultimatelyjoyous scenes in ramallah. delayed by several hours because of objections to the because of israeli objections to the that hostages were way that theirhostages were in gaza. also the releasod in gaza. also the of thousands on the practicality of thousands on the of ramallah escorting the streets of ramallah escorting the buses back to the municipal center = -: when former prisoners here. when the former prisoners alighted the buses and were alighted from the buses and were reunited with their family members, some who've have not seen their father's older brothers their sons for many years. i earlier to for many years. i spoke earlier to two sisters 21 and 22 for the two sisters age 21 and 22 for the the 21—year—old had never seen her father when he was arrested she was her mothers womb. said i've in her mothers womb. she said i've never known what it's like to have

never knownwhat it�*s like'to' have a i've been to visit him in father. i've been to visit him in prison i've never hugged him or prison but i've never hugged him or kissed him. she