Pete Hegseth Says Helicopter Crew That Crashed Into American Airlines Flight Had Night Vision Goggles

While speaking about the Jan. 29 plane crash in Washington, D.C., newly appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Department of Defense is working alongside a senior-level investigation team from the U.S. Army aviation Center of Excellence to find out what exactly happened in the accident that is believed to have claimed 64 civilian and three soldiers' lives.

In a video statement, Hegseth said the helicopter was flown by a "fairly experienced crew" doing a "required annual night evaluation" at the moment of the crash. Hegseth added that the crew was wearing night-vision goggles.

In a different post on his X social media account, Hegseth announced that the Pentagon and Army "immediately" launched an investigation into the collision, calling the incident "absolutely tragic."

He added that aviation operations from the U.S. Army in D.C. are on a 48-hour operational pause while the crash is reviewed. "We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the quarter and the right altitude at the time of the incident," Hegseth said.

As investigations continue, Hegseth said relatives of the crew members aboard the helicopter have not yet been notified. "Search and rescue efforts still ongoing," he said, adding, "Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families," he said.

On Jan. 29, the American Eagle flight 5342 was en-route from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard when it collided with a UH-60 Black Hawk carrying three soldiers. As of Jan. 30, at least 28 bodies have been recovered from the scene, with 27 of them being recovered from the jet and one pulled from the helicopter, officials said.

"At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," Washington's Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said Thursday morning.