Hegseth: Helicopter Crew Was “Fairly Experienced”

The Hill reports:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has grounded the Army battalion involved in the operation of the Blackhawk helicopter with three soldiers that crashed into a passenger plane with more than 60 people on Wednesday night.

Hegseth, in a video released by the Defense Department Thursday morning, said the 12th Aviation Battalion had been conducting an annual proficiency training flight.

While Hegseth said they were not releasing names at the moment, he noted he knew the individuals involved. “It was a fairly experienced crew,” he said, adding they were doing a night evaluation. “It’s a tragedy, a horrible loss of life.”

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Update on Guantanamo Bay Operations and @SecDef Hegseth Addresses Tragic Mishap Involving US Army Helicopter pic.twitter.com/80J5djB4oP

— Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) January 30, 2025