US President Donald Trump, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, hold a press conference on the plane crash in Washington DC.
President Trump speaks at a press conference at the White House on January 30.
The Hill newspaper reported on January 30 that US President Donald Trump held a press conference about the tragic collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and a military aircraft in the Washington DC area.
The incident occurred on January 29 (local time) when the plane carrying 64 people and operated by American Eagle - a subsidiary of American Airlines - was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport.
The plane collided mid-air with a Black Hawk military helicopter on a training flight. The two crashed into the Potomac River and officials said there were no survivors.
Plane carrying 60 passengers crashes into Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, many bodies found
'Dark and painful night'
After a moment of silence at the beginning of the press conference, President Trump said it was sad that there were no survivors. "This is a dark and sorrowful night in our capital and in the history of our country and a tragedy of epic proportions," he said.
"We can only begin to imagine the pain you all are feeling, nothing worse. On behalf of the first lady, myself, and 340 million Americans, our hearts break with yours, and our prayers are with you now and in the days ahead," he added.
Regarding the cause of the plane crash, he said that this was still unclear but the authorities had "some strong opinions" and would find out the cause of the disaster to avoid similar incidents.
He said the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the US military would conduct a thorough and systematic investigation into the incident. "We will restore confidence in American aviation," he said.
In a blistering tone, the president complained about diversity and inclusion in FAA programs and described former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as a "disaster."
"We had a situation where you had a helicopter that had the ability to stop… You can stop a helicopter very quickly. It has the ability to go up or down, it has the ability to turn. And it was clear that the turn it made was not the right turn, and it did the opposite of what it was told to do," Trump said.
The White House chief said the two planes were at the same altitude and someone should have pointed that out.
Two ministers speak out
During a press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident unacceptable. "We will hold the Department of Transportation and the FAA accountable to ensure that the reforms that President Trump has ordered are implemented to ensure that this does not happen again," he pledged.
For his part, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that "there were some altitude issues that we immediately began investigating at the Defense Department and military level," adding that the military's criminal investigation unit was on the scene.
Earlier, on social media, President Trump said the incident "could have been prevented". "The plane was on a perfect, routine approach to the airport. The helicopter flew straight toward the plane for an extended period of time," he wrote on Truth Social on January 30.
The Black Hawk military helicopter involved in the crash was flown by a "fairly experienced crew" and was operating with night vision goggles, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The military helicopter was on a routine training flight with three soldiers on board. "We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the corridor and at the correct altitude at the time of the incident," Hegseth said, according to Reuters.
The helicopter belonged to the 12th Aviation Battalion, based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The unit is responsible for helicopter flights in the Washington DC area and was suspended for 48 hours after the incident, Hegseth said.
Other helicopters, such as those from the National Guard, are still allowed to assist in rescue efforts, an official said. Military helicopters are a common sight around the US capital area, which is home to many military bases.
On the authorities side, according to CNN, former Director of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Mike Whitaker resigned before the Trump administration took office. This position is still unfilled, so the FAA is lacking an important official to respond to this serious aviation accident.
During the press conference, President Trump appointed FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau as acting administrator of the agency.
First Lady Melania Trump speaks
Writing on social media, US First Lady Melania Trump shared that her heart goes out to those affected by the plane crash in Washington DC. "My prayers are with those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones, and the first responders who worked tirelessly throughout the night. May they find strength and comfort during this difficult time," she wrote on social media X.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tong-thong-trump-noi-vu-va-cham-may-bay-la-tham-kich-khung-khiep-185250130235145316.htm
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