67 dead: Watch highlights from DC plane crash press conferences, Trump briefing
Dozens are assumed dead in the aftermath of a collision between a commercial airliner and an Army helicopter trying to land at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Wednesday night.
The crash took place just before 9 p.m. when American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, attempted to land and crashed in midair with a Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three people.
The passenger plane with 64 people aboard then fell into icy waters of the Potomac River. A massive recovery effort was underway Thursday as authorities search for bodies in water.
In one of three news conference Thursday morning, President Donald Trump delivered remarks from the White House telling reporters all 67 aboard the airplane and helicopter had died.
Here are highlights from all three press conferences:
President Trump delivers remarks on collision from White House
Just after 11 a.m. at the White House, Trump delivered remarks about the collision.
"I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation," Trump said after opening his remarks with a moment of silence for the lives lost.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but officials described both crews as "experienced" and said the helicopter and the plane were following routine flight patterns."Everything was standard in the lead-up to the crash," the nation's Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said. "Now, obviously something happened here, but you'll get more information and more details as this investigation moves forward. We'll learn what happened."
Trump on Thursday speculated about what caused the collision and spouted criticism at previous Democratic administrations as well as policies of diversity, equity and inclusion when speaking about the deadly crash.
Trump told reporters it was "a confluence of bad decisions that were made," but at different times suggested the FAA and air traffic controller could be blamed without providing evidence. He said the helicopter "did somewhat the opposite of what it was told," but then added "we don't know" exactly what caused the crash.
Watch video highlights from Trump's briefing at the top of this story.
Arlington, Virginia press conference: 'It's devastating'
About 7 a.m. ET Thursday, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other officials including the Federal Aviation Administration also held a news conference at Reagan Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
John Donnelly, the chief of Washington’s fire department, said 27 bodies were recovered from the plane and one body was recovered from the helicopter. He said authorities were switching from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom also spoke and expressed condolences to victims on both aircrafts as well as their loved ones.
"It's devastating and we are all hurting," Isom told reporters. "At this time we don't know why the military aircraft came into the path of the (American Airline) flight."
Isom also told family members on board Flight 5342 to call American toll-free at 800-679-8215.
Wichita mayor says city will hold a community prayer vigil
A press briefing also took place in Wichita, Kansas at 8 a.m CT/9 a.m. ET.
During the emotional news conference, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu called the crash a "terrible tragedy" and said it "will unite those in Washington, D.C., and Kansas, Wichita, forever."
"Tragedies like this remind us that we are one community; whether a Wichitan, a Kansan or an American – we are one community and in times of struggle, we do come together in grief and sadness to lift one another," Wu told reporters. "Wichita is stronger because we are together."
Contributing: Christopher Cann
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund