The official representative of the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that among the victims of the collision in the air of the American Airlines plane and the US Army helicopter was a service member, as announced by the organization on Friday, January 31. The statement noted that Staff Sergeant Perjentino Malabed died as a result of the crash in US territory. Malabed, who held the position of head of the police supply division, was in the cockpit. "Staff Sergeant Malabed was in the cockpit at the moment of the incident, fulfilling his long-dedicated service to the police force, as well as the country," PNP reported. "His unfortunate death was a deep loss for the PNP, where he served with dignity, honor, and commitment throughout his career," the statement added.
At a press conference, the chief of public affairs of the PNP, Colonel Randolph Tuanio, stated that the family had been notified about the incident, and Malabed's wife would fly to the United States. "Their family is already arranging for a flight to the US, and our police will be escorting her there," Tuanio said.
He noted that the Washington police had already informed them about Malabed's death based on official documents and the passport of the deceased. The establishment of the identity will take place as soon as Malabed's wife arrives in the US. American authorities stated on Thursday that it is not yet clear why the regional plane and the US Army helicopter collided at Washington Airport, killing 67 people, which is considered the deadliest aviation disaster in the US in the past more than 20 years, according to Reuters.
Investigators recovered the so-called black boxes from the Bombardier aircraft of American Airlines, which had 60 passengers and four crew members on board and collided with the Army Black Hawk helicopter, falling into the Potomac River, with plans to land at Ronald Reagan Airport in the middle of the night. As a result of the collision, the wreckage did not survive.
