WASHINGTON – The US senator on Thursday faces a fatal air collision between a commercial jet carrying 64 people and a US Black Hawk helicopters in his approach to Virginia’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, just outside the Columbia area. He said he is investigating the
Meanwhile, there is no conclusive evidence for the cause of the worst US disaster over the years, so President Donald Trump linked the tragedy to diversity, equity and comprehensive efforts at the Department of Transportation in an incident .
The president condemned the standards for air traffic controllers and the Biden administration’s “great push for diversity into the FAA program,” particularly pointing to the former DOT secretary’s secretary. Buttigieg released statement On social media shortly after a press conference criticized Trump’s comments as “despicable.”
When reporters asked how they knew diversity in air traffic controllers was a factor in the crash, Trump replied, “Because I have common sense.”
Officials believe there are no survivors of the area’s jets or Black Hawks sent in late Wednesday, plunging into the frigid Potomac River. The death toll is at 67, including three members of the helicopter crew. Authorities said 28 bodies were recovered as the large-scale operation continued on the river.
The senator expressed his sadness towards the families of the victims who fell crashed and vowed to get an answer. Todd Inman, a board member of the J. National Transport Safety Board, said Independent research institutions You will receive a preliminary report within 30 days, followed by a final report.
“It’s a horrible accident,” says West Virginia GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capit, who is on the Senate Committee on Commercial, Science and Transport. “It looks like a human error.”
That panel chair, Sen. Ted Cruz, said he was briefed in his office along with committee members by senior leaders at the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB.
“Obviously something that should have happened should have happened, but I think it’s a mistake to speculate until you see what the evidence shows,” the Texas Republican said.
Major Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp said in a statement Thursday that the Army’s top priority will be to support recovery efforts, working fully together with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He said that it was. Other investigators determining the cause of this tragic incident. ”
“The investigation is ongoing, but we are committed to transparency and will share accurate updates as soon as it becomes available,” said Bredenkamp, commander of the joint task force for the national capital region. Masu.
Air Florida Crash
Wednesday’s crash was the most fatal plane crash in the DC area since 1982 when a Florida flight crashed into the Potomac River and killed 78 people. This was the first major disaster of the second term of the Trump administration.
PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 crashwhich happened around 9pm on Eastern Wednesday came two days after the Senate confirmed former Wisconsin House of Representatives as Trump’s candidate as Secretary of Transport.
During a briefing Thursday morning, Duffy said he thought the crash was preventable along with early social media posts from the president, but he postponed further conclusions to the NTSB and led the investigation.
Senate majority leader John Toon said on the Senate floor that his prayers, along with those who lost their lives in the crash, would investigate the case in its overseer role.
“It’s too early to know why last night’s crash happened, but we’re going to know,” the South Dakota Republican said. “And Congress and federal agencies will look closely at this tragedy to ensure that the American skies are safe.”
Trump’s name plays FAA Chief
As of Thursday morning, there was no representative for the Federal Aviation Administration.
At a White House briefing, Trump said he was immediately naming his agency’s assistant manager, Christopher Rocherrow, at around 11:20am in the East, to act as a FAA manager. I stated.
Approximately 35 minutes Press conference“I don’t know what led to this crash, but I have very strong opinions and ideas.”
Trump said former President Joe Biden allowed the FAA to hire disabled people as American Airlines Flight 5342 was standing in front of the press within 24 hours of crash. Trump then stated, “People with hearing, vision, missing limbs, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, mental disorders, dwarfism, spots, on maps A small dot, a small runway.”
The American Association of Disabled People has pushed back Trump’s comments, Write on social media “Difficult FAA employees did not cause the tragic plane crash last night.”
“The crash investigation is still underway,” AAPD said in a statement. “It is very inappropriate for the president to use this tragedy to promote an anti-dritic employment agenda, which will reduce safety for all Americans.”
Vice President JD Vance, along with Duffy and the Secretary of Defense, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, repeated Trump’s comments about Dei at a press conference.
During Trump’s first administration, April 2019the FAA has announced an initiative to enroll up to 20 people with disabilities in the aviation development program.
Trump signed executives order Last week, he instructed the FAA to “quickly suspend Biden Day’s employment program and return to non-discriminatory merit-based employment.”
Trump also told reporters he heard the air traffic controller’s voice in the seconds before crashing, saying “there was a pilot issue from a helicopter perspective.”
Traffic controllers can be heard on audio “We need to land immediately” on the Sikorsky H-60 helicopter.
Buttigieg said in a statement that Trump has not spoken the truth about the FAA under Biden.
“As families grieve, Trump should lead, not lying. We put safety first, make close calls, expand air traffic control, and commerce for millions of clock flights. We’ve reduced the number of collision fatalities on airlines to zero,” Buttigieg said.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, also criticized the president’s press conference.
“Listen, it’s one thing that internet experts spout conspiracies. It’s another thing for the US president to throw away the idol speculation as his body is still being retrieved and his family is still being notified. That’s it,” Schumer told the Senate. “It just turns your stomach.”
Local lawmakers have been worried about the DCA for a long time.
Democrats Maryland Senators Chris Van Hollen and Democrats Virginia Senators Tim Kane and Mark Warner I’ve been criticising it for a long time Many flight slots at the DCA have been pushed to add new slots to the airports that lawmakers like, as they are closer to the US Capitol.
In April, there was a near miss when two planes were cleared to take off. I came within 400 feet of the crash.
Last year, the May assembly was approved. The FAA bill concludes its five-year, $100 billion plan, which adds flight slots to the already busy DCA.
Cruz defended the long-distance flights he pushed in the FAA bill, Some, including Texas.
“I think we should wait for the investigation to demonstrate what actually caused the accident, rather than speculating,” he said. “We know it’s tragic and now the families of 67 men and women are grieving.”
“It’s too early to speculate about the root cause of this accident,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, a union representing aviation experts.
“We will wait for the National Road Safety Commission to complete its work and use that information to help guide decisions and changes to enhance and improve aviation safety,” he said.
Joseph McCultin, a professor at Georgetown University who studied the country’s air traffic controllers, said Trump’s comments stemming from the crash crash on the DEI program were “absurd.”
“The problem is that if there is a problem with the FAA, it certainly doesn’t come from Dei. Rather, it is due to the consistent chronic staffing shortage of air traffic control facilities that have been happening over the years,” said 2011. McCultin, who published his 2019 book, “Crash Course: Ronald Reagan, the Air Traffic Controller and the Strike that Changed America.”
Someone who was on the jet
Among the 60 passengers and four crew members on the plane were US figure skating coaches and athletes along with their family. Championship In Wichita, the association was confirmed Wednesday night.
Six members were on board, including two teenage athletes from a Boston skate club, two parents and two coaches. Report Wbur and Rhode Island Current.
Club officials identified the skaters as 13-year-old Jinnah Han and 16-year-old Spencer Lane. Among the victims, the club’s coaches were Evgenia Sishkova and Vadim Naumov, according to the organization.
Russian national media Confirmed Two Russian figure skaters and other Russian citizens were on the plane on Thursday morning.
A U.S. State Department spokesman told the state newsroom that the authorities will reach out to the foreign diplomat community and provide updates after being confirmed by the NTSB of foreign victims.
Wichita Mayor Lily Woo I said At a press conference Thursday morning, the city had yet to review the passenger manifesto, but said it had appeared at Wichita Airport on Wednesday night for information about the crash.
Direct flights from Wichita to Washington, DC only began in January 2024.
Aaron Spence, the superintendent of the Loudoun County School District in Virginia, issued a letter Thursday confirming that one of the students was in flight. According to For Fox5 Washington, DC, the letter did not identify students.
United Association I wrote it On social media on Thursday, four members of Steamfitters Local 602 were one of the plane’s passengers. Union Local is based in Landover, Maryland.
The flight crew was based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte Observer reported.
FOX5 Atlanta It has been reported One of the plane’s pilots was Sam Lily, 28 years old. The local affiliate quoted Timothy Lilly, the father of a pilot who has ties to Georgia.
Last updated at 3:33pm, January 30, 2025
