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On Sunday, a distressing incident unfolded over Washington DC, as unresponsive aircraft entered restricted airspace, prompting swift action by US fighter jets. The F-16 jets were scrambled at supersonic speed, resulting in a resounding sonic boom reverberating across the region, causing concern among residents.
The decision to deploy the fighter jets was made when the authorities received no response from the aircraft, which had ventured into one of the country’s most heavily restricted airspace areas. Regrettably, the situation took a tragic turn when the plane rapidly descended and ultimately crashed in a rural area of Virginia.
Hours later, authorities, including police and rescuers, reached the crash site near the George Washington National Forest. Unfortunately, their efforts revealed no survivors among the four aircraft members. Because of the challenging terrain, the wreckage had to be accessed on foot.
While the reasons behind the pilot’s unresponsiveness and the cause of the Cessna Citation’s crash remain unclear, military officials, speaking anonymously, affirmed that the fighter jets did not shoot down the plane and were not responsible for the crash.
According to US aviation officials, the ill-fated flight originated from Elizabethton, Tennessee, at 13:14 local time on Sunday, with its intended destination being Long Island, New York. However, flight tracking data indicates the pilot altered course upon reaching Long Island, heading south toward Washington instead. The flight data terminates around 15:30 near Montebello, Virginia, showing a rapid descent of the aircraft.
The private plane involved was reportedly registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc., a Florida-based company. John Rumpel, the 75-year-old business owner, disclosed to the New York Times that his daughter, two-year-old granddaughter, and her nanny were passengers aboard the plane, accompanied by the pilot. Rumpel, also a pilot, expressed his distress, noting that the descent occurred at a rate of 20,000 feet per minute, a speed that typically results in fatal crashes. He fervently hoped that those aboard had not suffered.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation at the time of the incident. He was engaged in a game of golf at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the exact location from which the fighter jets had departed.
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Source: Omanghana.com
