NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, February 1, 2025

Episode Date: February 2, 2025

Seven dead after air ambulance crashes in Philadelphia; NTSB: Helicopter flew higher than allowed before deadly D.C. plane crash; Families of victims speak out after American Airlines crash in Washington; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, another horrific plane crash. A medical jet smashes into the heart of Philadelphia. New videos of the fireball erupting on impact. The moment the plane plunged to the ground. Residents fleeing for their lives. Flaming debris scattered everywhere. A total of seven killed, 19 injured. Pieces of a plane smashing into restaurants. Now, investigators searching for answers. In Washington, the update from the NTSB late today about that American Airlines crash, what they're learning from the flight recorders. Plus the victims now identified. 67 lives lost. The flight attendant who loved his job and the father who lost his wife and son speaking out to us. I was totally overwhelmed by that sense of loss.

President Trump signs the orders for massive tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods and Chinese goods too. What it means for the price you pay for produce, auto parts, alcohol and more. It's everything that is at risk of becoming more expensive. An American hostage held by Hamas released the moment he ran into the arms of his family. U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia, what we know about the targets. And the good news tonight, those wildfires in Los Angeles now fully contained. This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz-Balart. Good evening. It was a Friday night at the mall in Philadelphia that suddenly turned into what felt like a war zone. The images

are terrifying. I want to show you what it looked and sounded like from a distance as a plane carrying six people crashed outside the mall. And this is what it looked like up close. Fiery debris everywhere. Today, from above, you can see the charred crater it left behind. One person in a car was killed, 19 more on the ground injured. None of the six on board survived. The NTSB is now investigating what is the second major airplane crash this week.

In Washington, D.C., an update from the NTSB late tonight. Preliminary flight recorder data suggesting the helicopter was flying too high. We're covering both stories for you tonight, and we begin with Emily Ikeda in Philadelphia. Tonight, investigators on the ground of a deadly plane crash in northeast Philadelphia that led to this massive fireball and shower of embers. You can see the plane plunging straight down before the explosion sent people running. It sounded like it was getting closer, then it just was like, yeah, then I had to like, you know, get low a little bit and it hit the street right in front of me. Andre Gary had been walking in the area and captured the hellscape that ensued shortly

after 6 p.m. Friday. Scattered fires burning through homes and cars. What a terrifying moment. I thought the world was ending. Officials say the six people on the medical transport plane died, including two crew members, two medical professionals, and a mother and daughter all from Mexico. The family confirming Josue Juarez was the co-pilot. One person on the ground in a car was also killed and 19 others injured. This is not etched in stone. The investigation is ongoing. The NTSB, who was leading that investigation, calling the crash an accident. A slight right turn followed by a slight left turn and then a steep descent towards the ground.

Today, a look at the force of the impact and the far-reaching debris field. I'm thinking first shooting. A half mile away, the manager of a diner says this piece of the plane flew through the window, injuring a customer. How are you feeling in that moment? Because I scared. I don't know what he want to do. I tried to call the 911, and 911 no answer. Operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the plane was set to fly to Missouri and then Mexico,

carrying a young patient who was in the U.S. for a life-saving treatment, according to the company. Just after taking off, the pilot of the Learjet 55 responded to air traffic control. 1-2-3-point-8, my tango Sierra, 0 Tango Sierra 056 MetaVac. Thank you. Good day. But then communications from the crew went quiet. MetaVac Med Service 056 Northeast Tower, you on frequency? Officials say the plane was only in the air for a minute before it crashed into a busy roadway at rush hour.

A multi-agency response swarming the scene. Thanks to their speedy work last night, they were able to get the fire out and I believe they were able to save others in the process. Emily Ikeda joins us from Philadelphia. Emily, where does the investigation go from here? Jose, authorities say debris from the plane could be found anywhere between here and the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, complicating investigators' ongoing search for a critical piece of evidence, the cockpit voice recorder. Jose? American Airlines crash that left 67 people dead, with the NTSB offering its first glimpse at what they know so far from the plane's flight recorders. Aaron Gilchrist has the latest. Tonight, the NTSB providing new details about their investigation into Wednesday's deadly crash over Washington, D.C. There were five people in the tower at the time of the accident. At this time, we have interviewed the local controller,

the ground controller, and the local assist controller. The NTSB is saying there is much more data analysis to do, but preliminary data suggests the helicopter was flying at 300 feet or more when it crashed into the plane. FAA restrictions say it should have been below 200 feet. I can tell you at one point very close to the impact, there was a slight change in pitch, an increase in pitch. That is something that we will get you more detail on. And late tonight, the Army identifying the third soldier on board the Black Hawk was Captain Rebecca Lobach of Durham, North Carolina. Large ships along the Potomac River prepping to lift the aircraft out of the water. As the investigation continues, new videos first

aired on CNN are giving us a clearer picture of the moments an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional plane collided Wednesday night. Jeff Gazzetti is an NBC News aviation analyst. So Jeff, walk us through what you're seeing in that video. Well, in the first video, you can see that the helicopter, even though it's approaching the right wing, it actually, in my view, strikes the left wing. And then you can see the right wing still intact begin to roll. And you can see the airplane roll. And you also see the body of the helicopter continue through. In the second video, it shows that the helicopter is flying level while the airliner is descending slightly. After the collision, again, you see the airplane roll almost more than 360 degrees before impacting the water. Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast

Guard playing a key support role along the river with about 200 people helping divers, securing the search perimeter, and protecting private boats from debris. We have NTSB, Army Corps engineer, Navy supervisory or salvage, all those entities. We're just trying to make sure they're protected while they're doing what they need to do, as well as protecting other responders. Aaron, when do we expect the aircraft to be lifted out of the river? Well, Jose, officials tell us they were expecting two barges as well as some other heavy equipment on site here today. They could start lifting the two aircraft out of the water as soon as tomorrow, which would help them recover the 25 victims who are still in the water. Jose? Aaron Giltrist at Reagan Airport, thank you. We are learning more

about the 67 victims who died during that crash. Family members now speaking out, paying tribute to the lives cut far too short. Erin McLaughlin has their stories. Vitaly K is mourning the loss of his wife and 12-year-old son. Julia and Sean K were flying back from the elite ice skating camp in Kansas. Sean, a figure skater with big dreams. Julia, a devoted wife and mother of four. The chances of this happening are more scarce than like winning a lottery. Just think of that.

And it just happened. When Vitaly heard news of the crash, he raced from their home in Delaware to Reagan National Airport. I haven't seen any ambulances going to hospitals. In essence, just explained everything. He returned hours later to tell his three surviving children their mom and brother were gone. It was critical for me to drive back from the airport before kids wake up. I understood. Their reaction was shock and followed by disbelief. My seven-year-old asked, you know, can we reboot them?

I'm sorry, can't. So your seven-year-old asked, you know, can we reboot them? I'm sorry, Ken. So your seven-year-old asked, can we reboot them? Yeah. When he said that, I knew what he meant. Sean's skating partner, Angela Yang, was also killed, as was the entire Livingston family. 11-year-old Lydia, her 14-year-old sister Everly, their parents, Donna and Peter. Samantha Wells was a coach at the skating camp they'd all been attending. We were their moms for three days. We kissed their boo-boos and made sure they ate and made sure their skates were on. Kansas residents

Bob and Lori Chirac were on their way to visit their daughter Allie, a student at Villanova. Grace Cantrell is one of Allie's best friends. All the things that her parents won't be there for, like her wedding, her first boyfriend, first kid. We hope you enjoyed our hospitality. Ian Epstein was working as a flight attendant, also a father, stepfather, husband and brother, he loved his job, his sister says, because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. That positivity on full display in old social media posts of Ian at work. Show some patience for one another. Show some tolerance for each other.

Erin McLaughlin, NBC News, Ashburn, Virginia. And late today, President Trump signed sweeping tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, Canada and China, some as high as 25 percent. And they're likely to have a major impact on what you pay. We have two reports tonight, beginning with Yamiche Alcindor, who is with the president. Yamiche, good evening. These are wide-ranging tariffs. That's right, Jose. The president signed an order to implement 25% tariffs on Mexico and a 10% tariff on China. There's also a 25% tariff on Canada, except for energy products, which have a lower tariff, 10%.

The White House says that's to keep costs down for things like oil and gas. This all takes effect on Tuesday. The White House says that this is to help with border security and to stop fentanyl from coming into our country. Now, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will be pushing back forcefully. But Trump officials say that if any country tries to retaliate, the tariffs could be increased. Jose. Yamiche Alcindor in West Palm Beach, thank you. The president's tariffs are expected to have a major impact on the price American shoppers pay for everything from groceries to auto parts. Brian Chung explains why.

Companies across the country bracing for tariffs, with a warning that it's the consumer that's going to pay the price. It's everything that is at risk of becoming more expensive. From Mexico, importers will now have to pay 25% more for items like fruits, vegetables, beer, liquor, and electronics. From Canada, 25% more for potatoes, grains, lumber, and steel. And from both, a big increase on pharmaceuticals and on auto parts. At S&S Automotive in Secaucus, New Jersey, more expensive imported parts means even pricier routine fixes. Oil changes mainly. That'll be the first noticeable one.

An average oil change on most vehicles now, anywhere between $50 to $80, it's probably going to end up over $100. And that means that you've got to raise the cost just to make sure that you can keep the lights on. Right. And I don't like to do that because I've been in this town, like I said, 38 years. So most of my customers I know. Experts believe it won't just be auto stores passing on the prices, but supermarkets as well. So we could see upward pressure for meat prices, upward pressure for dairy prices. Those are the types of categories that directly hit consumers' wallets. Tariffs are paid for by the importing country, meaning S&S Automotive's suppliers would bear the costs.

President Trump's tariff announcement targets America's top three trade partners, who accounted for 42% of all goods imported into the U.S. The president's suggesting further tariffs are on the way, meaning those price increases may just be beginning. It's just another headache, because now I have to explain to somebody else why we're raising them even more. Brian joins us now. Brian, some major industries already warning prices are going to go up. Yeah, Jose. Well, the Home Builders Association is warning that higher lumber costs will likely lead to higher home prices. And a coalition of spirits industries

in all three countries say that this would significantly harm all three countries, reminding the White House that there are some industries like tequila which can't be reshored because they can only be made in Mexico. Jose. Brian Chung, thank you. And don't miss Meet the Press tomorrow when Kristen Welker interviews President Trump's Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem. That's tomorrow morning, right here on NBC. Still ahead tonight, the first American hostage released from Gaza in more than a year. Our cameras were there for his emotional reunion with family. That's next. Back now with the first American hostage released from Gaza since November 2023. Keith Siegel was released by Hamas today after 484 days in captivity. And cameras were

there the moment he reunited with his family. Keir Simmons reports from Tel Aviv. Keith Siegel's family waited 15 months to see him walk free, flanked by Hamas soldiers. And with a wave, he became the first American hostage released in more than a year. Friends and family finally got to watch him come home. And this was his wife Aviva's reaction. She was released without him in 2023. It'll only be a few days, he told her. Today was day 484.

A thumbs up as he reached Israeli hands, transferred by helicopter to the hospital in Tel Aviv and into Aviva's arms. He's OK, considering the fact that the hell that he's been through. Later, reunited with his three daughters, singing, Dad, you came back to us, Aviva beaming. The youngest had been set to get married when Hamas took their parents hostage. One of the things that he said is, I'm sure you probably already changed your family name.

And she said, no, dad, we're waiting for you. Another father freed today, Ofer Kaldurun. His daughter and 12-month-old son were released without him 14 months ago. But Yarden Bibas left Gaza without his wife and two children. The youngest, Kfir, was nine months on October 7th. There are grave fears for them tonight. 184 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange. And as part of the deal, 50 injured were evacuated through Gaza's southern border. Tonight, two more American hostages

are yet to be released. Sagi Dakelhen and Idan Alexander. These are bittersweet moments for Israel and still fragile days for the ceasefire. Kir Simmons joins us now from Tel Aviv. And Kir, more hostages expected to be released next weekend and talks are set for the next phase

of the ceasefire? That's right, Jose. Prime Minister Netanyahu is set to leave tomorrow to meet with President Trump in Washington. Tonight, his office said those talks will begin negotiations for phase two of this ceasefire agreement.

Jose. Keir Simmons in Tel Aviv. Thank you. We're back in a moment with more Americans freed, this time from Venezuela. What we know about how they got out. And diamond in the rough, the engagement ring that survived the L.A. wildfires. And the couple now bonded by it forever. We are back with new U.S. military strikes overseas. President Trump says the U.S. conducted airstrikes against ISIS operatives in

Somalia today. The president says the strikes targeted, quote, a senior ISIS attack planner and other terrorists he recruited. No confirmation yet if the intended targets were hit. A U.S. official tells NBC News the strikes were offensive and were carried out using manned aircraft. Also tonight, six American citizens were released from Venezuela. The release came after the country's leader, Nicolás Maduro, met with President Trump's special envoy, Richard Grenell. Grenell posting these photos of the men who were released.

President Trump today also said Venezuela agreed to receive deportations from the U.S. Out West, the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California are finally fully contained. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection made that declaration late last night after those fires burned for 24 days. At least 29 people were killed between the two fires. The official cause of both is still under investigation. When we come back, there's good news tonight. The big surprise for one health care worker and why she is so deserving.

There's good news tonight. You know, so often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad. So every Saturday we highlight the many people who spread joy and love. Here are just some of those stories this week. Surprise! Check out this surprise. That's Rita Rickard, a beloved member of the BB Hospital staff in Delaware. And that's much of the staff lining the hallways to celebrate a milestone. Rita has brought the same energy and enthusiasm to her patients now for 50 years. What's the best part of your job? It makes you feel good that people care that much about you. Out of the ashes of Altadena in Los Angeles, a love story like no other. Brian McShay and Stephanie Rayner were finally allowed back to their destroyed home. Brian scouring through the debris, hoping to find the one possession he cared most about. My first reaction was like, oh, look, here it is.

And he found it, the diamond engagement ring he hid in his desk to one day surprise Stephanie. And in that moment, Brian knew exactly what to do. I found it and it's like, oh, here it is. Will you marry me? Oh, I cried. I was crying. I just went and I like gave him a big hug and I obviously said yes. Here's a little gift from us to you.

Thank you. And for 22-year-old Albert Jeffries, this is the gift of a lifetime. Inside that gift box, a note. This is Al J. You don't know me. In December 2024, I became your official donor. And I am in this very room waiting for you. Your perfect match, Mandy Harris. And then there she was, Mandy Harris, the donor he didn't know he had. After seeing on Facebook he was diagnosed with kidney failure, she didn't hesitate to become his kidney donor. Why are you doing this? When I saw the post and the need for the kidney, it was like God just kind of pushed me a little bit and said, go ahead and try. What do you think the bigger message is here?

They just don't give up because one day, you know, a miracle, a hero, they will swoop in and save you. And that's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday. Hallie Jackson will be here tomorrow night. I'm Jose Diaz-Balot. Thank you for the privilege of your time. And good night.