Who is Ellis after all? Trans Black Hawk Pilot Incorrect Named in DC Crash

A transgender soldier has spoken after being wrongly named as one of the Black Hawk helicopter pilots who died in the collision with a US airline aircraft in Washington DC on Wednesday.

Jo Ellis wrote on Facebook on Friday: “Some madness has happened on the internet and I am named as one of the pilots in the DC crash.

“Please report any accounts or posts you see. It is insulting for the victims and families to those who are lost and they deserve better than this BS from the Internet’s bots and troll.”

Newsweek Has contacted Ellis for further comments on Facebook.

Why it matters

The military helicopter collided with the American Airlines Flight 5342 Midair as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.

The collision sent both aircraft that fell into the Potomac River, killing all 60 passengers and four crew members in the aircraft as well as the three soldiers aboard the helicopter.

Authorities have not released the names of the crew aboard the helicopter, but some social media users said wrong that Ellis was among them.

What to know

Ellis is a Chief Warrant Officer and Black Hawk Helicopter Pilot, who has served in Virginia National Guard for 15 years, according to the news output Smeconish.com. She served in combat zones in Iraq along with other operations abroad.

She serves in the military part-time and also works as an IT engineer in the private sector.

This is a breaking story. More to follow.