Two employees with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in D.C. are facing charges after allegedly leaking official airport footage of a tragic incident involving an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger flight. The collision occurred just outside Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) and resulted in the aircraft plunging into the Potomac River.
According to MWAA officials, the suspects are accused of making an unauthorized copy of Airports Authority records related to the plane collision. The leaked footage reportedly made its way to CNN, prompting an investigation into the breach.
One of the accused individuals, Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, from Rockville, Maryland, was arrested and charged with computer trespass, a misdemeanor offense. Subsequently, Jonathan Savoy, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, faced similar charges following further scrutiny by authorities.
The tragic collision claimed the lives of 67 individuals, and efforts are ongoing to identify all the victims and clear debris from the Potomac River. The incident has left a somber impact on the community as the investigation continues.
Following their arrests, Savoy was released on a summons by a magistrate, while Mbengue was booked into the Arlington County Adult Detention Center before being released on his own recognizance, as confirmed by MWAA officials.
As the legal proceedings unfold, authorities have refrained from disclosing additional details surrounding the unauthorized release of the airport footage and the subsequent charges brought against the MWAA employees.
