3 hours ago Aviation expert explains why US airspace is ‘not the safest’ in the world

An aviation expert told The Independent that while US airspace is “certainly one of the most controlled,” it wouldn’t necessarily be “the safest.”

Politics

10 hours ago American Airlines CEO blames army for collision as transport secretary calls it 'preventable': Live updates

LIVE UPDATES: Hopes are beginning to fade for 64 people on board the doomed American Airlines flight which crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night.

Society

7 hours ago World champion Russian skaters on American Airlines jet built a new life as coaches in the US

The two Russian figure skating coaches killed in the American Airlines crash were two-time Olympians and former world champions in the pairs event

Sport

1 hour ago Beloved Disney on Ice Little Mermaid actress among latest DC plane crash victims

A beloved Disney on Ice actress and a mother of two young children are among the latest victims identified from the deadly Washington, DC , airplane crash.

Events

2 hours ago Video shows American Airlines plane wreckage in Potomac River as recovery operation continues

Video shows the wreckage of the American Airlines passenger plane in the Potomac River following a deadly collision with a Black Hawk military helicopter.

Culture

11 hours ago Is flying becoming more dangerous? Fears grow after American Airlines flight tragedy

After Washington collision, statistics show whether there has been a rise in aviation fatalities recently

Transport

7 hours ago Trump blames plane crash on Obama and Biden calling air traffic control a 'disaster'

The US President also confirmed the tragic outcome for those aboard the American Airlines flight and the helicopter, stating, "Sadly, there are no survivors."

Politics

13 hours ago Surreal, dreamlike, confusing: a night watching 18 Champions League ties

Trying to keep across 29 hours’ worth of football was not just akin to major substance abuse but a cause of fear and panicRaspberry Beret by Prince, Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees, American Pie by Don McLean, All I Want is You by U2, the theme tune to Sesame Street: these are all in their different ways excellent pieces of music. But as part of playlists broadcast without end and at high volume, all have been used by the US army in psychological warfare – demonstrating that too much of a good thing is not just possible but, at extreme levels, absolutely excruciating. Watching the manic conclusion to the Champions League group stage on Wednesday brought those playlists to mind, as I debated whether I was being entertained or encouraged to run screaming from my house.The trend in sport for many years has been to make competitions bigger, longer, more drawn out, and at first the new 36-team Champions League format felt like another step on this tiresome journey. But the widely acknowled...

Sport

2 hours ago Washington DC plane crash latest updates: Air traffic staffing 'not normal' when jet collided with helicopter killing 67

Officials say there are no survivors among the 67 passengers on the aircrafts that collided above Washington, D.C.

Events

20 hours ago Video shows horrifying moment plane explodes in midair collision near Washington DC

A plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members crashed into the Potomac River in the US shortly after 9pm local time at the Ronald Reagan National Airport

Culture

8 hours ago Six members of figure skating group on doomed Washington DC flight are named... with 14 on the plane in total

Everyone aboard the jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita Airport in Kansas that collided with an Army helicopter is feared dead.

Politics

2 hours ago Why WAS a runway change ordered minutes before the DC crash? Is DEI really to blame? Did air traffic control make a fatal mistake? All the lingering unanswered questions

It was a clear, cold night in Washington DC on January 29, when at 8.47 pm, a bright orange and red flame suddenly erupted in the sky.

Events

20 hours ago Footage shows plane with 64 onboard colliding with helicopter near Washington DC

An American Airlines passenger jet collided with a military helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan national airport near Washington DC. Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center shows two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to conjoin in a fireball. The American Airlines Flight 5342 departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the FAA. According to American Airlines’ website, the jet has a capacity for up to 65 passengersAmerican Airlines plane and military helicopter collide at airport near Washington DC Continue reading...

Culture

8 hours ago American Airlines crash: Trump says 'I put safety first' as he blames Biden over regulations

US President Donald Trump has confirmed to the media that there are 'no survivors' after a catastrophic air disaster involving an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter

Politics

2 hours ago Man fears he 'narrowly escaped death' by missing doomed American Airlines 5432 flight

James Moyer was on his way from Charlotte, North Carolina to DC when he realised he was on the same flight path as the American Airlines aircraft that exploded mid-air

Events

22 hours ago AP PHOTOS: Move over peanuts, pistachio is the latest trend for Hong Kong New Year treats

A Hong Kong culinary institution is acknowledging that changing times bring changing tastes and has found a hit in adding American pistachios to the range of flavors in its famed dumplings.

Culture

9 hours ago The quiet breakfast revolution that could soon transform the lives of millions of kids around Britain

Ahead of Labour's pilot scheme for breakfast clubs in 750 schools, Real Britain visited one which is already making a huge difference for children at Bournville Primary School in Weston-super-Mare

Politics

2 hours ago Washington plane crash: Air traffic control tower 'understaffed' during deadly collision, FAA report finds

Shock report revealed after Donald Trump suggests diversity hiring to blame for tragedy which left 67 dead

Events

9 hours ago Young figure skater saved from doomed Washington flight thanks to his dog

Jon Maravilla was supposed to be on the deadly American Airlines Flight 5342 which crashed after colliding with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington DC - but went in a car because of his dog

Politics

2 hours ago Mechanical failure or human error? What might've caused the D.C. plane crash that killed 67 people

‘Even the most skilled pilots are going to make human errors, because they’re human,’ former Navy fighter pilot Matt Cox told The Independent

Events

10 hours ago Young figure skater saved from doomed American Airlines flight because his dog was too big to board

Jon Maravilla was set to be among the passengers on board Flight 5342, but said he was told he couldn't bring his dog onboard. He decided to take a car instead.

Politics

3 hours ago Adorable ice skating couple from Delaware are among youngest child victims of plane crash horror

Two of the youngest victims of the deadly Washington, DC, airplane crash have been identified as an up-and-coming youth ice skating duo.

Events

10 hours ago Husband reveals last text from wife on board doomed AA flight as family members prepare for worst

Hamaad Raza said his wife had been texting him moments before the flight went off-grid: ‘That’s when I realized something might be up’

Politics

3 hours ago American Airlines CEO under fire for 'lack of respect' with outfit during briefing about DC plane crash

Robert Isom issued a heartfelt message to family members whose loved ones were onboard the passenger flight that crashed with a military helicopter at Reagan International Airport.

Events

10 hours ago Trump administration live: RFK Jr returns to Senate as trio of president’s controversial picks face hearings

RFK Jr, Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel’s hearings are expected to go ahead despite 67 passengers being feared dead after an American Airlines jet and military helicopter collided in Washington, DC

Politics

3 hours ago Trump asks 'you want me to go swimming' in response to question on American Airlines crash site visit

The Orange Manbaby appeared to make a joke about the American Airlines crashing into a Black Hawk army helicopter and landing in the Potomac River – killing all 67 people on board both aircrafts

Events

10 hours ago Trump’s Guantánamo Bay order condemned as ‘disastrous’ and ‘indefensible’ by rights groups – US politics live

US president prompts outrage after signing an executive order to prepare huge detention facility at Guantánamo Bay he says could hold 30,000 immigrantsHere’s some more reaction to Donald Trump’s executive order instructing the military to prepare to house 30,000 immigrants at the US naval base in Cuba.“Guantánamo is a stain on our nation’s honor,” Jerry Nadler, a Democratic congressman from New York, said.For years, I have advocated for its closure, condemning the abuses and glaring lack of accountability that persist there. This massive expansion into a mass detention camp is morally indefensible & raises significant civil liberties concerns.We cannot allow this level of dehumanization to become normalized. We need to shut down Guantánamo once and for all. Continue reading...

Politics

3 hours ago Victims of Washington DC plane crash include US and Russian figures skaters

US Figure Skating champions and coaches were tragically killed in a plane crash involving an Army helicopter in Washington DC

Events

11 hours ago ‘Like dropping a bomb’: why is clean energy leader Uruguay ramping up the search for oil?

The South American country has begun exploration in its Atlantic waters, with experts warning it is endangering livelihoods, marine life and climate goalsWhen he hears the news, the only words that fisher Francisco Méndez can use are those of war. “What they are planning to do is like dropping a bomb – and when you drop the bomb, everything dies,” says the 41-year-old father of five.For 22 years, Méndez has sailed into the Atlantic Ocean, fishing for brotula and striped weakfish alongside his father, brothers and uncles. He is also joined, occasionally, by dolphins and whales, curious about his white and orange vessel. But now Méndez fears his family’s way of life and livelihood are under threat. Continue reading...

Politics

3 hours ago Air Force deportation flight skirts Mexican airspace to Guatemala as military's border role grows

A U.S. military plane with migrants bound at their wrists and ankles has left Texas bound for Guatemala carrying 80 deportees, eight of them children

Events

12 hours ago US figure skating team member Spencer Lane's haunting final post from inside doomed plane

Spencer Lane, 26, shared the haunting snap from inside the doomed jet as it prepared to take off.

Politics

3 hours ago Washington plane crash LIVE: Trump suggests diversity hiring to blame as FAA report says air traffic control 'not normal'

US president confirms no survivors as rescuers search Potomac River after American Airlines flight collides with Black Hawk helicopter

Events

12 hours ago Detective Chinatown 1900 review – blockbusting Chinese franchise goes back in time

Prequel focuses on xenophobia in turn-of-the-century San Francisco with surprising wit and sillinessThis prequel to the huge-grossing Detective Chinatown franchise, though focused on anti-Chinese xenophobia in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, manages to be a rare example of a Sino-blockbuster not filled with maudlin patriotism; it mostly carries its cultural message charmingly and with plenty of self-deprecating humour. At one point, an imperial Chinese investigator toughs it out in order to form an alliance with a gaggle of Irish hoodlums straight from Gangs of New York. “You held yourself so well back there,” his underlings congratulate him, before their leader’s legs give out. “Don’t let the Americans see. I’m about to pee myself!”The story here is that malevolent forces are stirring the great American melting pot. The son of local Tong leader Bai Xuanling (Chow Yun-fat, still with charisma on tap) is arrested for the murder of the daughter of racist Republican congressman Gran...

Politics

3 hours ago Washington plane crash: questions arise over understaffing at control tower

One controller reportedly handled arrivals and departures, and also helicopter traffic – a job usually done by two peopleWashington DC plane crash – latest updatesFirst confirmed victims include figure-skating championsA collision on Wednesday between an American Airlines jet and a US military helicopter near Washington DC killed all 67 people onboard both aircraft and sparked questions over whether understaffing in an air traffic control tower played a role in the United States’ worst aviation disaster in years.As it approached Reagan National airport around 9pm, American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter, plunging wreckage of the two aircraft into the icy Potomac River and killing all 64 passengers and crew on the plane, along with three soldiers on the helicopter. Continue reading...

Events

13 hours ago Mapped: How American Airlines plane collided with Black Hawk army helicopter near Washington DC airport

The death toll from the two aircraft collision is presumed to be 67 as emergency services frantically wade through Potomac River in freezing conditions to desperately search for bodies

Politics

3 hours ago DC plane crash: Pilots and youngest victims named as identification begins for 67 passengers and crew

The American Airlines pilot and soldier among the 67 killed in Washington DC plane crash have been named as 28-year-old Sam Lilley and father-of-one Ryan O'Hara

Events

13 hours ago Trump and Putin have no plans to discuss Washington DC plane crash despite Russians on board: Live

President grieved over the ‘terrible night’ as at least 30 bodies have reportedly been pulled the Potomac River’s icy waters

Politics

3 hours ago Door appeared ajar on a kit plane in California crash that killed 2 and injured 19

A door was apparently not fully closed on a homebuilt airplane that crashed in Southern California earlier this month

Events

13 hours ago Scots Labour MPs call for public money to turn Grangemouth into green plane fuel hub

Euan Stainbank, Kirsteen Sullivan, Brian Leishman and Chris Kane have signed a letter demanding a meeting with the National Wealth Fund to convert the refinery for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.

Politics

3 hours ago Anguished face of former Olympics star Nancy Kerrigan, whose skating club lost six members to DC plane crash

'It's a shock. I was watching all night (on television) and when you find out you know some of the people on the plane it is an even bigger blow,' she said through her tears.

Events

14 hours ago Doomed American Airlines jet's watery grave as eerie details emerge of final resting place

Nineteen bodies have been recovered following a collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military helicopter near the hub in Washington DC on Wednesday evening

Politics

3 hours ago Washington DC plane crash live: staffing at Reagan airport air traffic control reportedly ‘not normal’ at time of collision

Internal preliminary safety report suggests staffing was lower than it should be for ‘time of day and volume of traffic’, New York Times reportsOfficials say no survivors expected in DC plane crashFirst known victims include figure-skating championsVisual guide – how did the DC plane crash unfold?Multiple media including the New York Times, Reuters and CNN are saying the Black Hawk helicopter was carrying three soldiers. No senior army officials were onboard, they reported, citing US defence officials.Multiple sources are now saying that about 60 people were onboard the American Airlines plane that collided with the helicopter. Continue reading...

Events

14 hours ago What does 'flying dark' mean and why was Black Hawk helicopter near a commercial plane

A Black Hawk military helicopter has crashed into an commercial American Airlines flight – due to conditions both aircrafts were flying dark – all 67 people are feared to be dead

Politics

4 hours ago MARK MCEATHRON: I'm a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. This video shows all the red flags that led up to the deadly DC plane crash

I'm a former Black Hawk helicopter crew chief and flight instructor. I know how quickly a routine flight can turn into a terrible tragedy.

Events

15 hours ago Mapped: American Airlines plane collides with army helicopter near DC airport

The death toll from the two aircraft collision is presumed to be 67 as emergency services frantically wade through Potomac River in freezing conditions to desperately search for bodies

Politics

4 hours ago Aviation expert's terrifying take on doomed DC plane crash passengers' final moments

Former U.S. Air Force navigator Jim Brauchle said the crash near the Reagan National Airport happened in a matter of seconds.

Events

15 hours ago America’s two largest budget airlines propose merger — what could it mean for fliers?

Frontier Airlines is attempting for a second time to merge with the now bankrupt Spirit Airlines

Politics

4 hours ago Plane crash report suggests air traffic control tower staffing 'not normal' at time

“We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”

Events