Washington Airport employees charged for leaking crash videos
American media report that authorities have detained two airport employees in Washington for allegedly leaking recordings of a crash involving an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter to CNN journalists. The authorities claim the footage comes from airport surveillance but was reported by the station on Friday to have been taken with smartphones.
The repercussions of the crash involving the American Airlines passenger plane and the Black Hawk helicopter are still unfolding. A total of 67 people tragically lost their lives in the collision. New recordings from the crash continue to surface online.
Authorities are investigating two videos presented by CNN. Investigators have determined that the recordings originate from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport surveillance. Two airport employees have been detained.
According to ABC News, Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, from Rockville, Maryland, and Jonathan Savoy, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, have been accused of making unauthorized backups of the recordings and disclosing them. The recordings were reportedly handed over to journalists. After being questioned in court, the men were released to return home.
The station reported on Friday that the recordings were made using mobile phones. Airport authorities have not commented on the employees' detention at this time.
what does the disclosed footage show?
CNN published video footage showing how the tragedy unfolded. The footage depicts the Black Hawk helicopter approaching from the left while the Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft heads towards the airport.
Subsequently, the Black Hawk begins to approach the small passenger plane, leading to a collision. Both aircraft plunge into the Potomac River.
