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Victims’ Conditions
The pilot, Matthew White, and his son, Judah White, remain in critical condition at a Lehigh Valley Health Network facility, according to hospital officials told Daily Voice. The status of the other three occupants has not been released.
Trump’s Response
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One late Sunday night, Trump was asked about U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s concerns regarding the FAA’s oversight reductions under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.
"Well, that has nothing to do with the department," Trump said. "That was a small plane, and that would have happened whether you had a big department or a small department as you understand. They have spates like this. You know, they have times when things happen a little bit more often than normal, and then it goes back, and you go many years without having a problem."
Trump then shifted focus, praising a Southwest Airlines pilot who narrowly avoided a collision with a smaller jet at Chicago’s Midway Airport on Feb. 26 by lifting his plane to safety.
Environmental Cleanup Underway
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues to monitor the fuel and hazardous material cleanup from the crash at Brethren Village Retirement Community in Manheim Township.
The Beechcraft Bonanza had a maximum fuel capacity of 120 gallons, with 30 gallons recovered from one wing after the crash, according to DEP officials. While some of the fuel burned in the fire, an unknown amount mixed with firefighting runoff and entered a nearby storm drain, eventually discharging into a stormwater basin.
Emergency responders used 2,000 gallons of water with non-PFAS foam to extinguish the flames. An environmental contractor is working to clean fuel from the stormwater system, and DEP staff will continue to monitor the site for contamination risks.
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