Air traffic control staffing was “not normal” at the time of a mid-air collision between a military helicopter and passenger plane in Washington, DC that killed 67 people, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has acknowledged.
US media reported that Reagan National Airport tower was understaffed during Wednesday’s crash, according to a government report.
“I’ll take the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at their word that it wasn’t normal,” Duffy said when asked about reports during the FOX News Sunday programme.
So far, 55 victims have been recovered from the Potomac River, with divers continuing to search for 12 more.
There were 64 passengers aboard the American Airlines flight when it collided mid-air with an army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers as crew. There were no survivors.
