The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is slated to provide an update Thursday afternoon on the investigation into the recent fatal midair aircraft collision near Reagan Washington National Airport.
About 60 people were believed to be on the American Airlines flight that collided with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on its final approach to the airport in Arlington, Va. All are feared to be dead, and recovery operations are underway in the nearby Potomac River.
President Trump called the crash a “tragedy of terrible proportions” in remarks Thursday but quickly politicized the incident and blamed his Democratic predecessors, claiming they lowered aviation safety standards. He also took aim at diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, citing efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to hire people with disabilities.
“A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was too white, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately,” Trump said. “This was in the Obama administration.”
Trump acknowledged it is still unclear who was at fault for the collision in his Thursday press briefing. The NTSB, alongside the FAA and other federal and local agencies, are investigating the crash.
The NTSB briefing is expected to begin at 2:45 p.m. EST.
Watch the live video above.
