WASHINGTON, January 30. /TASS/. The US authorities are at this point uncertain whether the latest deadly air crash in Washington was caused by a malfunction or a human error, Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Todd Inman has told reporters.
"We don't know what we know just yet. We do not know enough facts to be able to rule in or out human factor, mechanical factors," he said, adding that investigation would take time.
"If we find something that is a significant issue that warrants immediate action, we will not hesitate to make those recommendations and make them public," the NTSB official said.
In turn, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said her agency has "substantial amounts of information."
"We need to verify information. We need to take our time to make sure it is accurate," she added.
An American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The American Airlines flight, en route from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. There were at least three service members aboard the helicopter. Upon the collision, both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River. The bodies of 28 people have been plucked out of the water so far. US authorities said there are no survivors.
According to the Wichita Eagle newspaper, members of the US junior figure skating team were aboard the plane. A source told TASS that Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the world championships in pairs figure skating for Russia in 1994, were also among the passengers, as well as Inna Volyanskaya, Soviet bronze medalist in pairs figure skating.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that Russian citizens were killed in the plane crash. The US has already been in contact with Russia about transferring of their remains.