Two employees at Ronald Reagan National Airport have been arrested for allegedly leaking surveillance footage of a fatal midair collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet over the Potomac River, resulting in 67 deaths.
On January 31, 2025, 21-year-old Mohamed Lamine Mbengue from Rockville, Maryland, was arrested and charged with computer trespass in Virginia. His colleague, 45-year-old Jonathan Savoy, was taken into custody on February 2 but was released on a summons by a magistrate judge. Both individuals are accused of making unauthorized copies of Airports Authority records, specifically the surveillance video capturing the tragic incident.
The leaked footage, which reportedly aired on CNN, shows the moment when a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on a night training mission collided with American Airlines Flight 543 as it was preparing to land. The collision resulted in the deaths of all 64 passengers and crew members on the jet, as well as the three military personnel aboard the helicopter. Recovery efforts are ongoing as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has emphasized the seriousness of unauthorized access and distribution of sensitive information, stating that such actions compromise ongoing investigations and violate protocols designed to ensure the integrity of airport operations. Both Mbengue and Savoy are facing legal consequences for their alleged actions, highlighting the critical importance of adhering to security and confidentiality protocols within airport environments.
This incident underscores the potential risks associated with insider threats in sensitive environments like airports. Authorities are likely to review and potentially strengthen existing security measures to prevent unauthorized access and dissemination of sensitive information in the future.
