Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the American folks following the lethal collision involving an American Airways aircraft and an Military helicopter outdoors Reagan Nationwide Airport. Hegseth says the crash occurred whereas the Black Hawk was on an annual proficiency coaching flight.
“We do know on our side who was involved. It was a fairly experienced crew, and that was doing a required annual night evaluation,” Hegseth stated in a video assertion obtained completely by Fox Information. “We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the quarter at the right altitude at the time of the incident.”
“It’s a tragedy, a horrible loss of life for those 64 souls on that civilian airliner. And of course, the three soldiers in that Black Hawk. They’re in our prayers, their families and their communities as people are notified,” Hegseth added.
Search and rescue efforts are seen round a wreckage web site within the Potomac River from Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport, early Thursday morning on Jan. 30, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Picture)
On Wednesday, round 9:00 PM native time, the FAA issued a floor cease at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport after a navy helicopter with three troopers collided with a civilian airplane carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members.
In a press convention on Thursday morning, DC Hearth and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly introduced practically 30 our bodies had been recovered from the scene of the collision up to now. At the moment, authorities don’t imagine there are any survivors, Donnelly added.
“We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter,” he added. “Despite all these efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
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A part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a aircraft on method to Reagan Nationwide Airport crashed into the river close to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30, 2025. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
AMERICAN AIRLINES CEO EXPRESSES ‘DEEP SORROW’ AFTER MIDAIR COLLISION
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked first responders for working in a “very frigid” river via the evening in what began as a search and rescue mission, which is now a restoration mission.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn-in hours earlier than the collision, vowed to get solutions on behalf of the collision victims’ households and the American folks. Duffy famous that the collision occurred on a transparent evening and that each the airplane and helicopter had been in “standard” patterns.
“Safety is our expectation. Everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely, that when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn’t happen last night,” Duffy stated. Duffy believes that the proof up to now signifies that the collision may have “absolutely” been prevented.
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The American Airways flight from Wichita, Kansas collided in midair with a navy helicopter whereas approaching Ronald Reagan Nationwide Airport. Based on experiences, there have been no survivors among the many 67 folks on board each plane. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Pictures)
AMERICAN FIGURE SKATER SAYS HE WAS BARRED FROM FLIGHT THAT COLLIDED WITH ARMY HELICOPTER
In a blunt Reality Social publish, President Donald Trump referred to as the crash “a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
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Shortly after the collision, Vice President JD Vance urged folks to “say a prayer for everyone involved.”