Two employees of the agency overseeing Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport have been arrested for allegedly leaking surveillance footage of last week’s fatal midair collision to CNN.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) staff members are facing charges of computer trespass for unauthorized copying of records, the agency announced Monday.
Their legal issues stem from a chilling video obtained by CNN, which provided a harrowing new perspective of the crash over the Potomac River, according to ABC News.
The collision on Wednesday night between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet resulted in the deaths of all 67 people on board both aircraft.
The exclusive footage captured a clearer and closer view of the tragedy, including one clip showing the helicopter moving swiftly from the left side of the screen as the American Airlines plane approached the airport.
Another brief clip depicted both aircraft— the Black Hawk, carrying three soldiers, and the Bombardier CRJ700— heading toward each other before colliding and bursting into flames.
CNN reported Friday that both videos had been recorded on mobile phones.
Authorities charged 21-year-old Mohamed Lamine Mbengue of Rockville, Maryland, on Friday, and 45-year-old Jonathan Savoy of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on Sunday, according to the MWAA.
Mbengue was booked into the Arlington County Adult Detention Center and later released, while Savoy received a summons from the magistrate before being let go.
The airport authority provided no additional details on Monday night.
Established by Congress over three decades ago, the MWAA is responsible for operating Reagan National and Dulles International airports.
On Monday, officials began retrieving wreckage from the downed American Airlines flight as most of the victims' remains had been recovered from the icy waters.
Once parts of the aircraft are brought ashore, the recovery operation will shift to retrieving the Black Hawk helicopter.
The military chopper was carrying Army Capt. Rebecca Lobach, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, and Staff Sgt. Ryan O’Hara, while the commercial flight included more than a dozen individuals connected to the figure skating community.
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