Local News
Pilot and First Officer of American Eagle Flight 5342 identified as Jonathan Campos and Samuel Lilley
The pilots and flight attendants aboard American Eagle Flight 5342, which tragically collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., have been identified.
Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Samuel Lilley, 29, were at the controls of the regional jet when it crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
Flight attendants Ian Epstein and Danasia Elder were also aboard the ill-fated flight.
The collision, which occurred 400 feet above the Potomac River as Flight 5342 was on its final approach to DCA, resulted in a catastrophic fireball that sent both aircraft plunging into the water.
The PSA Airlines-operated jet, which was carrying 60 passengers, was completing a routine flight from Wichita, Kansas, when the accident occurred.
First Officer Samuel Lilley, who was recently engaged, was just months away from being promoted to captain, a milestone he had been working toward in his lifelong dream of aviation, his father Timothy Lilley shared in an emotional interview.
“Samuel was in the prime of his life. He was engaged to a beautiful, wonderful girl, and we were all excited about her joining the family,” said Timothy, who himself is a former Army Black Hawk pilot. In a tragic coincidence, he revealed that he had previously flown the same type of helicopter in the exact airspace where the crash occurred.
At the time of the accident, Timothy was at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, unaware that his own son was involved. โI saw the crash on the news. I didnโt think there was any way it was my son,โ he recalled. โBut then I watched long enough to realize it was his airline, and I knew his schedule.โ
Captain Jonathan Campos, who was originally from New York but grew up in Florida, had dedicated years to his passion for aviation.
According to records from Epic Flight Academy, Campos was certified as a flight instructor in 2017 before earning his commercial airline pilot license in 2018.
The two flight attendants aboard Flight 5342 were Ian Epstein and Danasia Elder. Epstein, like Lilley, came from a family of aviators.
His father, who is also a pilot, shared that Ian was engaged to be married and had begun his airline career in 2019.
The aviation community is mourning the loss of these dedicated professionals as investigations into the cause of the midair collision continue.
The FAA and NTSB have launched a full inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash, and further details are expected in the coming days.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the cityโs historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vesselโs emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. โ Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucesterโs historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucesterโthe nationโs oldest working fishing portโactivated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. โShe put her heart and soul into this opportunity,โ family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucesterโs close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vesselโs owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. โI hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,โ she said. โThis is heartbreaking.โ
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucesterโs deep fishing heritage. โGloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,โ Tarr said. โIt appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.โ
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was โheartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,โ adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victimsโ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: โThe salt has been in our blood for generationsโฆ A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.โ
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series NorโEaster Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New Englandโs commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victimsโ families and Gloucesterโs fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.