Scandal at Reagan National! Two airport employees got caught red-handed for allegedly leaking jaw-dropping footage of last week’s horrific midair collision over the Potomac River. The shocking video, handed over to CNN, has now landed them in legal trouble!
Secret video sparks arrests
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) confirmed the arrests of two staffers accused of illegally copying security footage. The men, Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, from Rockville, Maryland, and Jonathan Savoy, 45, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, now face computer trespass charges. Mbengue was locked up in Arlington County Adult Detention Center before his release, while Savoy was slapped with a summons and let go.
A disaster caught on camera
The tragic crash happened Wednesday night. A Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet collided midair, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft. The leaked footage, first aired by CNN, gave a terrifying new angle on the disaster.
The videos, shot on cell phones, show the Black Hawk darting into view just as the commercial flight approached the airport. Another clip captures the heart-stopping moment both aircraft move toward each other before colliding and exploding.
Outrage and investigation
Officials are furious. The MWAA is tight-lipped, refusing to share more details. The organization, created by Congress over 30 years ago, oversees operations at both Reagan National and Dulles International Airport.
Meanwhile, investigators are piecing together how this catastrophe happened. Most of the victims’ bodies have been recovered from the freezing river, and authorities are now working to remove the shattered plane from the crash site. Once that’s done, they’ll lift the remains of the Black Hawk from the wreckage.
The military helicopter carried three soldiers: Army Capt. Rebecca Lobach, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, and Staff Sgt. Ryan O’Hara. The American Airlines flight had more than a dozen passengers linked to the tight-knit figure skating community.
