Howard University is grieving the loss of a beloved professor named Kiah Duggins. The law educator was one of the 60 passengers onboard the American Eagle jet when it collided with an Army helicopter. Four crew members on the aircraft also died while the chopper was carrying three people. Officials have not found any survivors from the Wednesday night crash. Within 24 hours, the mission pivoted from rescue to recovery efforts.
Investigators are also still determining why the helicopter was in the jet’s flight path, especially given its “experienced” pilots and personnel. President Trump has been stirring up controversy surrounding the cause. He even suggested that the Biden administration and Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are to blame.
RELATED: Trump Blames DEI Efforts, Biden Administration For “No Survivors” Jet & Helicopter Crash
More Details About The Late Howard University Professor
All of the deceased identities are not yet public, but Howard University confirmed Kiah Duggins was on Flight 5342 when its remains fell into the Potomac River. It’s unclear if her body has already been recovered.
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“It is with profound sadness that the Howard University community and the Howard University School of Law have learned of the passing of Professor Kiah Duggins, who was among those lost in the mid-air plane collision at Reagan National Airport. We ask for privacy and respect for Professor Duggins’ family, students, and colleagues during this difficult time,” HU President Ben Vinson III wrote on X.
In a deeper dive, Fox 5 DC shared that the Howard University professor had experience working for organizations like the Civil Rights Corps and the ACLU of Northern California. Plenty of work across the board seemingly focused on the prison industrial complex, unconstitutional policing, bail practices, and the legal system at large.
So far, CNN reports that crews have found 41 bodies and identified 28 of them. On Wednesday night, a man revealed the text messages he exchanged with his wife. The time was about 20 minutes before the passenger jet’s scheduled landing. He shared his hopes for crews to recover her body.
As of Thursday, the identities of both American Eagle pilots are public. The father of the second-in-command, Sam Lilley, spoke out about his difficulties sleeping since losing his son and his struggle to accept this reality.
