i'm in washington, and this is bbc world news america. in the us in over 20 years, in sight of the nation's capitol. and we are here to assure the american people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation. we are going to .,, ~ , ~ a investigation investieetien. we ere eeine te .,, ~ , ~ a investigation of entire tragedy, looking at the 67 people died when a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter on wednesday night. this is the scene as recovery efforts continue along the potomac river.

i'm caitriona perry. i'm at ronald reagan washington national airport where an investigation is under way after a deadly aeroplane crash between a commercial passenger plane, and a military aircraft. both crashed into the potomac river, just outside the nation's capitol, killing 67 people. there were no survivors. when it collided with a us army blackhawk helicopter. this was the deadliest air accident in the us in over 20 years — and the first since 2009.

and planes, a job normally done by two people at that time of day — the national transportation safety board, or ntsb, they are underwater at this time. she said it would take a �*whole—of—government�* effort and that �*no stone would be left unturned.

followed then by a more comprehensive report when the work completed. mr inman became emotional speaking about the victims. it affects us, it affects everyone around us. we will do it factually, and we will do it accurately.

the blackhawk helicopter and their training mission. were on a routine annual retraining of night flights on a standard corridor for continuity of government mission. on a regular basis. tragically, last night, a mistake was made. so what do we know about how this terrible crash unfolded? how did events with an american airlines plane. the skyline of washington, dc.

on board, 64 people, including figure skaters returning from a competition. on the left, the military helicopter, with three people on board. it's very common for planes and helicopters to share air space in dc. but there were at least two near—misses at the airport watch as both aircraft move closer together over about a minute. this is their flight path, according to the tracking from the bottom in blue. it's 8:47pm local time, around 25 seconds before impact.

the helicopter is referred to pat 2—5. acknowledging the plane is there. into their peripheral vision, and they've mistaken getting close to each other.

then losing altitude. the plane and its 60 passengers have crashed let's talk more about the events leading to collision. thank for being with us bbc news. for people not bbc news. forpeeple who are net �* with bbc news. forpeeple who are net �*with reagan bbc news. forpeoole who are not �*with reagan airport here, familiar with reagan airport here, it is an incredibly airport, it is an incredibly busy airport, some bytes — flights land j 77 land 5 every 77 land 5 everyf but and land here every day, but coupled with that you have bases the president of the united just...—. :e"’":* ” just across river, how it all play together? it safe for civilian and generally safe for civilian and military to be in the same military aircraft to be in the same airspace?

military aircraft to be in the same airsace? . ., military aircraft to be in the same airsace? . . . , operate under the same aircraft operate under the same procedures and seem and proceduresend seem phraseology'and ~ �* galatians, proceduresend seen} phraseelogyend ~ �*galatians, therefore it is consumer galatians; the—refo—re'it'is safe and easy for them to both safe and easy for them to operate in the airspace as operate in the same airspace such as washington, dc, you are m -$eeeezfsee§%ee£ in the environment correct in that the environment washington airport around washington national airport is extremely complex and makes it a for both pilots and air challenge for both pilots and air controllers to operate at the airport. controllers to operate at the airort. ., ~' controllers to operate at the airort. ., ~ ., , controllers to operate at the airort. ., ~ ., airport. so, talk to us a little how air how air traffic is that, how that air traffic is managed, keeping it all up moving it 7 7 7it is 7 7 it is so 7it is so cong7ested 7 7it is so cong7ested for 7 7it is so cong7ested for much of fwhen it is so congestectfornuuchof day. fist when it is so congestedsfocmuch. da . �* ~ ., when it is so congestedsfocmuch. the day. at washington national, it is a the day. at washington national, it is - a challenge _ the day. at washington national, it is - a challenge because - the day. at washington national, it. is - a challenge because - is ' __.j- - -l-ii-_-- l---..-- ll-.- i- is ”debs 1; ehellehbe esl-elise lueie i3 primary ' _--j- - -l-ii-._-- l---..-- ll-..- i- lsa iueue g li!ellei!ee bel-elise lueie i3 primary in :-:= take off 7777tak7e7o7ffand77 7 you have multiple heathrow where you have multiple parallel to other, in

case you have a single runway 7 7 i713; 7you7hav7e7a7s7ingl7e7 runway has most iave a single runway 7 7 i713; 517051} the757i7ngl7e7 runway has most of the traffic. unway 7 7 i713; 517051} iii; traffic.77th7aty it more 77it mo7r7e7diffi7c7ult777 7 7 77it mo7r7e7diffi7c7ult7for77 7 it more difficult for arrivals makes it more difficult for arrivals departures in and so it is and departures in and out, so it is and departures in and out, so it is a constant choreographed ballet of a iifisfitafiffifififéfigfééfiéfi eallét if �*to a iifisfitafiffifififéfigfaéhéfi “pallet. if �* to get é ififiiiéfififififéfigfééfiéfi eélléi if �*to get aircraft on the how to get an aircraft on the in the air, and get the next runway, in the air, and get the next aircraft over the threshold and aircraft overthethreshold and the terminal. that landing into the terminalethat is through through the done through teamwork through the aircraft control tower between aircraft control towerbetween aircraft control towerbetween air traffic controllers who several air traffic controllers who work together, and who constantly scan and update their situational as this valley moves aerospace and the airport. across aerospace and the airport. now, both new york times and our across aerospace and the airport. now, both ne here �*k times and our across aerospace and the airport. now, both ne here �*k cbs s and our editorial partners here at cbs news are reporting that the staffing in the 7 7 in the air 7 in the air control7 level in theratr traffic control �* was level in theratr traffic control �*was determined, they said not tower was determined, they said not normal for tower was determined, they said not normalfor time tower was determined, they said not normal for time of day, this

tower was determined, they said not normal ft traffic ime of day, this tower was determined, they said not normal ft traffic coming iay, this sufficient traffic coming through the airport, and we know there are staff shortages across the staff shortages right acrossftihe in a traffic control, but how board in a traffic control, but how disconcerting is it here and that s-..°..f--.-..- . . , , of7repoijtiri7g? 77 7 77 777 7 777o7f7re7por7tin7g? in i it is sort of reporting? in i think it is concerning that the air traffic controllers staffing across controllers staffing levels across the country are controllers staffing levels across the country— controllers staffing levels across the count j l, l, the country are extremely low. the lowest they — the country are extremely low. the lowest they have _ the country are extremely low. the lowest they have been _ the country are extremely low. the lowest they have been in _ the country are extremely low. the lowest they have been in decades, | lowest they have been in decades, and that is of budget due to 7 due to government and 7 and th7e pandemic. pandemics, no controllers these pandemics,~no controllers be hired or trained, that in staffing 7 in staffing shortfalls as in staffing si to falls as in staffing si to retire s in staffing si to retire and e the profession. therefore, the leave the profession. therefore, the fa has embarked upon an extensive to 7777to7h7ig7hei7’77 777777777777 7 to7h7ig7her7at77777777 7 777 7 to7h7ig7hei7'7at7reco7rd777 7 777 hiring programme to higher at record levels of air traffic controllers to bridge that shortfall in the air traffic control profession, so it is

not unique to washington other traiiiiic control and other air traffic control facilities the united facilities across the united states are working to solve same are working to solve the same problem. are working to solve the same roblem. �* , r, are working to solve the same roblem. �* , l, l, , problem, , , drive just drive for air recruitment drive just drive for air controllers, what has the fiéfiiiififififilléfi whit. 5.53? iii? been efefiieeefififillefee weee fiee eee been like efefiieeeeefellefee weee fiee eee been like that, do air uptake been like that, do air traffic controllers feel their job clearly it very is respected? clearly it is very stressful, but they is respected? clearly it is very stressful, by they is respected? clearly it is very stressful, by the they is respected? clearly it is very stressful, by the government supported by the government officials and those in charge? stir controllers recognise traffic controllers recognise'there a shortfall and that the faa is is a shortfall and that the faa is hiring at record numbers of people make upfor make up for that shortfall, and to make up for that shortfall, and if there is concern on their if there is any concern on their part is that they will look at to part is that they will, look at to why was this not recognised an z -—: ta7 ke n yea rs 7 ta7ken years ago 7 ta7ken years ago whe7n these action taken years ago when these shortfalls first started to appear? 0ne shortfalls first started to appear? one of the things that is also happening that we hear at embry

happening is that we hear at embry errors university riddle errors aeronautic university are helping them bridge that gap. 7 777 ga7p_ 0u7r7 ,. 3.3e tet ga7p. 0ur studgnts, when the staffing gap. gurrstudentsr when the you can and be 7 and go directly to an air 7 ant facility ectly to an air ant facility across an air 7 ant facility across the air traffic control facility across the united this drastically cuts the recruitment hiring ggwrjthe recruitment and hiring and the time same, and shortens the training time for the workforce — air traffic control workforce. for the workforce - air traffic control workforce. doctor michael mccormick - at _ control workforce. doctor michael mccormick - at. embry - control workforce. doctor michael. mccormick- at. embry riddle chgormick there at the embry riddle university, thank you for aeronautic university, thank you for us on bbc news. president donald trump held a moment of silence for the crash victims. he also placed blame on former presidents 0bama and biden,

later in the afternoon afternoon, trump signed an executive order directing the faa to assess damage from diversity and equity programmes, or �*dei. here's what he told reporters. confidence might�*ve played a we let you �* that, confidence might�*ve played a we let you �*that, but confidence might�*ve played a we let you �* that, but we —=: the most competent people we ca re care what race they are. so don't care what race they are. 64 lost their lives last night, people lost their lives last night, if you _ people lost their lives last night, if you aren't confident that dei had any role, _ if you aren't confident that dei had any role, why bring it up? all if you aren't confident that dei had any role, why bring it up? filll any role, why bring it up? all i am talkin: any role, why bring it up? all i am talking about _ any role, why bring it up? all i am talking about is _ any role, why bring it up? all i am talking about is competence, - any role, why bring it up? all i am talking about is competence, and | any role, why bring it up? all i am i talking about is competence, and we want in that position, we to have the most 7 to have the most competent have to have the most competent people in our country because we are about lives. it may not or people in our country because we are have out lives. it may not or people in our country because we are have had ives. it may not or people in our country because we are have had to s. it may not or people in our country because we are have had to do it may not or people in our country because we are have had to do it ma' but: or people in our country because we are have had to do it ma' but: don't may have had to do with, but i don't like the it like the fact that the he'ffiote it ~ ~ , ~ , , ~ ~ at the the fact that the he'ffiote it ~ ~ , ~ , , ~ ~ at the exact as the

was at the exact same level as the the helicopter should been 1000 feet or 500 feet it or something below it. the 3000 7 = -= 3000 —7300 400 feet, plane was at 3000 — 300 400 feet, or plane was at 3000 — 300 400 feet, or plane have been stopped, the plane should have been stopped, the plane should have been stopped, the helicopter should have = -= the plane cannot be stopped. the plane cannot be stopped it was on his schedule, it was but it was on his schedule, it was on a long track, it was the on a long track; itwes the same that every plane uses chech that ee “the n'ane fer , ~ , , ~ . ~ many years, it was going for many years, it was going down and lend“; the for many years, it was going down and eff"? the helicopter got and landing, and the helicopte: got its way, and if the helicopter inzlics way. and if the helicopter higher or �*or inzlics way. and if the helicopter higher or �* or stopped inzlics way. and if the helicopter higher or �*or stopped or was higher or lower or