Trump ousts Biden’s Democratic NTSB vice chair amid aviation crisis



President Donald Trump's administration recently removed the Democratic vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board.

A White House official told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Alvin Brown had been removed from the board.

'We're going to build a brand-new air traffic control system.'

Brown was appointed to the five-person safety panel by former President Joe Biden in December 2024, after the November presidential election and just weeks before Trump's inauguration.

An internet archive shows that Brown was removed from the NTSB's website sometime after May 1. The now-removed webpage stated that Brown had served as a board member since March 2024 and as a senior adviser for the Department of Transportation's Community Infrastructure Opportunities since August 2022. Brown served as the mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 2011 to 2015.

"Brown began his career as a senior member of the White House leadership team under President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. As Vice President Al Gore's Senior Advisor for Urban Policy, and Vice Chair of the White House Community Empowerment Board, he advised President Clinton and Vice President Gore on a wide range of domestic issues, including community revitalization, job creation, new business development, and affordable housing," the website previously read. "As Executive Director of the White House Community Empowerment Board, Brown led the Administration's $4 billion community empowerment initiatives, including the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community programs."

The NTSB's website now lists only four members: Chairman Jennifer Homendy and members Michael Graham, Thomas Chapman, and J. Todd Inman.

Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration investigator, told WBAL that he has never seen a president remove a board member. It is typical for members to remain on the board past their five-year term when an administration has not selected a replacement.

"That happens a lot over the years, but that's normal and expected because you served your term and now it's time for someone else to serve in there," Guzzetti said. "But this wasn't that. This was just more abrupt and directly from the administration, and I don't know what the impetus is."

While the White House did not provide a reason for Brown's termination, Trump has previously commented on independent agency's lack of oversight and slow aviation investigations, which may have influenced the recent NTSB shake-up.

In February, Trump signed an executive order to ensure more accountability within federal agencies.

A White House fact sheet detailed the "reining in" of several independent agencies. However, it did not specifically name the NTSB, an independent government agency tasked with investigating transportation accidents.

"So-called independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have exercised enormous power over the American people without Presidential oversight," it read.

Following the January aviation disaster at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that resulted in the deaths of 67 people, Trump appeared to slam the federal government for historically slow investigations.

During a press briefing, he stated, "We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we'll probably state those opinions now because, over the years, I've watched as things like this happen and they say, 'Well, we're always investigating.' And then the investigation, three years later, they announce it."

Earlier this week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy told Fox News that the administration will "radically transform the way air traffic control looks."

"We're going to build a brand-new air traffic control system," he added.

Duffy stated that the Trump administration will unveil the details of its plans on Thursday.

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EXCLUSIVE: Trump Admin Purges Thousands Of Woke Grants Left Behind By Biden

Build back better

Transportation secretary blasts DOD after Army Black Hawk chopper's 'scenic' flight causes near misses with 2 jetliners in DC



Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blasted the Defense Department after an Army Black Hawk helicopter took a "scenic route" around Washington, D.C., which caused near misses with two commercial jetliners attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, an Army Black Hawk helicopter allegedly had close calls with two commercial airliners.

'Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear.'

The Federal Aviation Administration said in an incident report, "Air traffic control instructed Delta Air Lines Flight 1671 and Republic Airways Flight 5825 to perform go-arounds at the Reagan Washington National Airport due to a Priority Air Transport helicopter inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport."

The Army Black Hawk helicopter "took a scenic route around the Pentagon versus proceeding directly from the west to the heliport," according to an email obtained by Politico from Chris Senn, Federal Aviation Administration assistant administrator for government and industry affairs.

Both commercial airplanes were reportedly on their final approach.

The Black Hawk helicopter came within 200 feet of the Republic plane and within 400 feet of the Delta plane, according to Senn's email.

Senn said air traffic controllers temporarily couldn’t pinpoint the Black Hawk’s tracking position in real time on their radar screens.

Senn noted that the helicopter’s radar track "inadvertently floated and jumped to a different location on the controller feed after being unresponsive for a couple of seconds."

At the time of the incidents, the control tower had one supervisor, four certified professional controllers, and one certified professional trainee receiving on-the-job training, according to Senn.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation into the events. Delta said it was cooperating in the investigation.

Delta said there were five flight crew and 97 passengers aboard its commercial airliner.

"Nothing is more important at Delta than the safety of our customers and people. We'll cooperate with the FAA as they investigate," Delta said on Friday.

The U.S. Army said of the incident, "While conducting flight operations into the Pentagon, in accordance with published FAA flight routes and DCA Air Traffic Control, a UH-60 Blackhawk was directed by Pentagon Air Traffic Control to conduct a 'go-around,' overflying the Pentagon helipad, in accordance with approved flight procedures. As a result, DCA Air Traffic Control issued a 'go-around' to two civilian fixed-wing aircraft to ensure the appropriate deconfliction of airspace."

The incidents were classified as a "loss of separation," which is when aircraft violate the minimum vertical and/or horizontal distance required to safely avoid a mid-air collision in a controlled airspace.

The Pentagon did not immediately provide a comment when asked by Reuters.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy declared the actions by the chopper's pilot were "unacceptable."

"Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear," Duffy proclaimed on the X social media platform.

Duffy continued, "I’ll be talking to the Department of Defense to ask why the hell our rules were disregarded."

"Safety must ALWAYS come first. We just lost 67 souls! No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians," Duffy added. "Take a taxi or Uber — besides, most VIPs have black car service."

Lawmakers from both political parties expressed concern over the incidents.

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stated, "The Army is once again putting the traveling public at risk. ... It’s time for the FAA to act swiftly and assert control over the national airspace so the Army stops running air taxis for military officials near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport."

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said, "The Army and FAA need to reevaluate their operations and return to Capitol Hill to explain what needs to be done to make certain the DCA airspace is safe. We already had a tragedy that should not have happened."

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) added, "It is outrageous that only three months after an Army Black Hawk helicopter tragically collided with a passenger jet, the same Army brigade again flew a helicopter too close to passenger jets on final approach at Reagan National Airport."

Moran and Cantwell are referring to the air travel disaster that occurred in January when an American Airlines plane collided with an Army VH-60M Black Hawk. The air travel accident killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.

The helicopter and plane collided while the chopper was conducting a training exercise.

As Blaze News reported last month, Captain Rebecca Lobach — the helicopter's pilot — failed to heed her instructor's orders moments before flying into the commercial airliner.

The mid-air collision caused the FAA to impose permanent restrictions on nonessential helicopter operations around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

In March, a Delta Air Lines plane nearly crashed into an Air Force jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere's investigation unearthed several eyebrow-raising developments in how airports are using outdated technology, DEI practices that exclude the most qualified would-be air traffic controllers, and severely understaffed air traffic control towers.

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Incompetence or sabotage? Trump DOT yanks prosecutors for damaging leak in NYC congestion toll lawsuit



President Donald Trump's Department of Transportation replaced federal prosecutors who leaked damaging information regarding the administration's plan to terminate New York City's congestion toll.

On Wednesday evening, the Department of Justice lawyers accidentally — they claimed — filed in federal court a confidential memo that undermined the administration's case.

'It's sad to see a premier legal organization continue to fall into such disgrace.'

The 11-page letter, dated April 11, was written by the lawyers and addressed to Sean Duffy, informing the DOT secretary that they believed their case was "exceedingly likely" to fail.

"We have been unable to identify a compelling legal argument to support this position," they wrote.

The prosecutors recommended Duffy form a stronger argument against the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's DOT in February for attempting to put a stop to the congestion toll.

"As discussed below, there is considerable litigation risk in defending the Secretary's February 19, 2025 decision against plaintiffs' claims under the Administrative Procedure Act, that the decision was contrary to law, pretextual, procedurally arbitrary and capricious, and violated due process," the attorneys told Duffy.

The prosecutors suggested that Duffy use Office of Management and Budget regulations to argue the congestion toll should be terminated "as a matter of changed agency priorities." They also stated that the administration could claim that the pricing was based on MTA's funding level needs and not a goal to reduce traffic.

However, the lawyers concluded that both of these arguments were unlikely to convince the court.

Nicholas Biase, a Southern District of New York spokesperson, stated that the filing of the confidential memo "was a completely honest error and was not intentional in any way."

Yet, the DOT questioned whether the leak was deliberate.

Halee Dobbins, a DOT spokesperson, stated, "Are SDNY lawyers on this case incompetent or was this their attempt to RESIST? At the very least, it's legal malpractice."

"It's sad to see a premier legal organization continue to fall into such disgrace," she said. "SDNY's memo doesn't represent reality. [New York Governor] Kathy Hochul's congestion pricing war against the working class was hastily approved by the Biden Administration after Donald Trump was elected."

"Taxpayers already financed the highways that Hochul is now shutting down to the driving public and there is no free alternative. This is unprecedented and illegal. If New York doesn't shut it down, the Department of Transportation is considering halting projects and funding for the state," Dobbins added.

The DOT replaced the attorneys with others in the DOJ's Civil Division.

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They covered Christ — Trump just brought Him back to light



Jesus is coming back — to the walls of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

In a sharp reversal of the Biden administration’s campaign to scrub religious symbols from public institutions, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced last week that a painting of Jesus covered up in 2023 would be restored to public view. The announcement drew cheers from merchant mariners gathered at the academy.

Under the previous administration, erasing Jesus from the walls was just the beginning. But that all changed the moment President Trump took office.

The painting, titled “Christ on the Water,” dates to the 1940s and was created to honor mariners lost at sea during World War II. But in early 2023, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation sent a letter to then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, calling the artwork a “sectarian painting illustrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ” and demanding that it be removed as an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

Naturally, Buttigieg complied. Joanna Nunan, the academy superintendent — whose biography boasted of her efforts to expand “diversity and inclusion” in the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine — ordered the painting covered.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and then-Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) slammed Nunan for her “flawed understanding” of the First Amendment and called on the academy to keep the painting on display. At the time, academy midshipmen warned that “woke” ideology had “seeped into the school” — and that its spread had only accelerated under Biden and Buttigieg.

Duffy’s announcement marks a clear break from that era and shows just how dramatically things have shifted under President Trump.

Last week’s announcement isn’t the only recent move by the administration to defend America’s religious heritage.

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins announced that his office intervened to stop a speech code threatening chaplains at a Pennsylvania VA hospital.

The action came after First Liberty Institute and the Independence Law Center sent a letter to Collins on behalf of Chaplain Rusty Trubey. An Army Reserve chaplain, veteran, and former missionary, Trubey has served at the Coatesville VA Medical Center for nearly a decade.

In June 2024, as part of his regular duties, Trubey led a chapel service and preached from the first chapter of Romans. After the service, while cleaning up, he was approached by a VA police officer who said complaints had been filed about his sermon.

After the incident, the VA removed Chaplain Trubey from his duties, launched a months-long investigation, and threatened to mark his permanent record. Though the VA eventually dropped the reprimand, his supervisor pushed to impose a sermon review process and revise the Chaplain SOP and Performance Plan to limit what topics chaplains could preach on. Had those changes taken effect, chaplains could have faced punishment for preaching in accordance with their religious convictions.

Secretary Collins reversed course, stating clearly: “There is no national or local policy or standard operating procedure which inhibits Chaplain sermons. To the extent that there have been any proposed changes to any existing policy, those proposals will not move forward and have been rescinded.”

He emphasized, “It is undisputed and well-settled law that constitutional protections and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act safeguard statements made by all VA chaplains while delivering sermons in line with their ecclesiastical endorsers.”

Under the previous administration, erasing Jesus from the walls was just the beginning. Erasing faith from the pulpit soon followed. We can only imagine what the landscape would look like if the November election had gone the other way.

But that all changed the moment President Trump took office.

In his first days, Trump issued executive orders to restore religious liberty and end the weaponization of the federal government against political dissent — a tactic increasingly common in the left’s push to enforce its woke ideology. From the start, the administration made clear that faith would not be silenced.

That mission hasn’t let up. The fight to restore our first freedom has been relentless.

And to that, many Americans say amen.

'Anti-Christian activist' viciously attacks DOT Sec. Duffy for seeking return of Jesus painting at Merchant Marine Academy



A New York-based activist group successfully pushed in 2023 to have a historic painting depicting Jesus Christ covered up at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where it had been proudly displayed for 76 years without incident. The alleged motivation behind this act of iconoclasm, which resulted in the painting's exile to the building's flood-prone basement, was to create "a welcoming environment."

When Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy signaled earlier this month that the painting might soon make a triumphant return, Mikey Weinstein, the head of the iconoclastic activist group, let his mask slip, revealing there might be some prejudices lurking behind his iconoclastic campaign.

Weinstein, the president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, whom Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) previously dubbed an "anti-Christian activist," viciously attacked Duffy, Trump supporters, and midshipmen supportive of the painting's return in a statement shared with the Christian Post and the Daily Kos.

"tRump's [sic] Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is clearly bereft of any semblance of morality, ethical standard, or constitutional legality (obviously required with all MAGA filthy, ignorant, hateful, bigoted scum) and is merely throwing rotting dripping, fetid, red meat to the Christian Nationalist MAGA fascists in America, who are clearly sprinkled among the USMVA midshipmen, staff and faculty," wrote Weinstein.

The activist, whose demand in 2023 USSMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan apparently took seriously, added, "Duffy is simply a stray, feral dog, lifting his leg and urinating a rancid fundamentalist Christian fealty on what MAGA fascists now apparently view as a front yard lawn toy rather than an honored cornerstone of the defense of our constitutionally created secular democratic republic."

The painting

The painting that has Weinstein all bothered is a heritage asset under the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration titled "Christ on the Water."

According to the USMMA, the 10'x19' painting "depicts an image of Jesus and merchant seamen adrift in a lifeboat, presumably after being torpedoed in the Indian Ocean during World War II."

'The painting is perfectly in keeping with the Establishment Clause.'

It was painted on sail canvas by Lt. Hunter Wood in 1944 as a tribute to all merchant seamen.

Wood joined the U.S. Coast Guard with the rank of chief boatswain's mate 10 days after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. He saw action during the invasion of North Africa in late 1942. Wood subsequently served as an artist in the Coast Guard Combat Artist Unit. He later joined the U.S. Maritime Service, with which he remained until the end of the war, advancing to lieutenant commander.

Wood's painting hung for seven decades in the Elliot M. See Room of the USMMA's Wiley Hall, which served from 1942 to 1961 as an interfaith chapel.

The complaint

The academy indicated that in early January 2023, it received a complaint about "Christ on the Water," suggesting it somehow sent an "improper message of preferred faithin violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution."

Weinstein, claiming to represent 18 midshipmen, faculty, staff, and graduates at the academy, demanded in a Jan. 10 letter obtained by the Christian Post that Nunan "expeditiously remove a massive, sectarian painting illustrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ."

"The outrageousness of that Jesus painting's display is only further exacerbated by the fact that this room is also used regularly for USMMA Honor Code violation boards where midshipmen are literally fighting for their careers, and, often even more, as they face the shameful ignominy of potential expulsion with prejudice if found guilty of USMMA Honor Code violations," wrote the activist.

Initially, the academy decided to keep the painting up but discontinue use of the room for official business. Accordingly, members of the community interested in viewing the painting were free to do so. Those who shared Weinstein's hostility were free to avoid the painting altogether.

On Jan. 26, 2023, the academy — which supplies some officers to the U.S. military, at least 70% of which is Christian — announced that it had chosen to cover the painting with curtains and install a plaque describing the work's history.

"The curtains will remain closed when official Academy meetings and events are conducted," said the statement. "This solution balances legal requirements with the concerns of those who have an interest in the painting."

The decision to oblige the iconoclasts prompted a petition and letters to Nunan from various lawmakers, including Banks and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) demanding the painting's unveiling.

Cruz noted:

The relevant constitutional question is whether the Academy's display of the painting meets the requirements of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. As a long-standing display that is consistent with the history and tradition of the United States and its Maritime Service, it clearly does. Under the Supreme Court's standard for long-standing government displays, the painting is perfectly in keeping with the Establishment Clause.

Banks similarly underscored the lawfulness of hanging the painting in the academy, referring to a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that "historic displays with religious symbolism are not a violation of the Constitution."

'Let's let him out! Bring him up!'

Despite the backlash and indications that the removal was wholly unnecessary, multiple sources told Fox News Digital that the painting was moved to a chapel basement prone to flooding.

The return

During his April 4 visit to the academy, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed a room full of midshipmen. During his speech, he signaled support for the painting's return, stating, "Can we bring Jesus up from the basement?"

The audience burst into cheers, while scores of midshipmen leaped to their feet, applauding.

Duffy, a devout Catholic, continued, "Let's not put Jesus in the basement. Let's let him out! Bring him up!"

Since the USMMA falls under Duffy's purview, he is apparently able to restore the painting to its rightful place in the academy — something his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, proved unwilling to do.

The academy's Christian Fellowship Club launched a petition on April 7 to permanently move the painting into Ackerman Auditorium.

'I think we're returning to objective truth.'

The petition notes that "moving the painting to the Museum damns it. It declares, 'This is who the Merchant Marine used to be once upon a time long long ago.'"

"We declare to you, faculty and staff, that this painting represents the Regiment of Midshipmen today more so than ever before," said the petition. "Here us now: We identify with those sailors."

The tantrum

Unlike those gathered at the academy, Weinstein responded poorly to Duffy's remarks, going so far as to dehumanize midshipmen who dared signal support for the painting's return.

"To the cheering robustious throngs of Christian Nationalist midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant of Venice Academy, and to their dear MAGA fascist cheerleader Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, MRFF commands: 'Side Step HARCH!,' you stinking piece-of-s**t Christian Nationalist insects," wrote the activist.

Weinstein added in his statement that the return of the painting would "spark WORLD WAR 8."

The activist continued ranting in an unhinged YouTube video, where he suggested that midshipmen's cheering of Duffy was a "despicable, shameful disgrace of [their] oath to the U.S. Constitution" and characterized their support for the DOT secretary's remarks as cowardly.

"Jesus Christ represents ideals that are not specific to one group of people or another," Jackson Tolle, a midshipman in USMMA's class of 2026, told the Christian Post. "Ideals of sacrifice, ideals of love, compassion, and empathy; these are ideals and traits that we, as a culture, need to return to."

"Moral relativism has failed the country and the world, more so than any belief system ever really has," continued Tolle. "I think we're returning to objective truth."

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Trump’s DOT left to clean up Biden admin's $43 billion grant fiasco



The Trump administration’s Department of Transportation revealed that it inherited an “unprecedented backlog of grants” left by the Biden administration.

In late March, the DOT’s Federal Highway Administration reported that Secretary Sean Duffy had finalized a $221 million federal grant to rebuild Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge — its westbound side has been closed since December 2023 following a “critical failure.” The funding for the project was initially announced in the fall of 2024, but the Biden administration “failed to sign the agreement.”

‘Under the Trump administration, we’ve ripped out this red tape and are getting back to what matters.’

The DOT’s announcement noted that "the Trump administration inherited roughly 3,200 unobligated grants that had been promoted by the previous administration but never fulfilled.”

Duffy stated, “Since coming into office, my team has discovered an unprecedented backlog of grants leftover from the previous administration.”

He slammed “ridiculous DEI and Green New Deal requirements” for preventing “real infrastructure from being built and funded.”

“Under the Trump administration, we’ve ripped out this red tape and are getting back to what matters. As part of our work to deliver real results, we are pleased to announce $221 million in grants for Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge — a critical link that carries thousands of vehicles a day,” Duffy declared.

A DOT spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the backlogs totaled $43 billion. After Trump won the election but before he took office, the Biden administration reportedly announced $9 billion worth of grants to 1,000 recipients that were not made official before Biden departed.

“Nothing was done to actually get these grant agreements signed and sent to projects,” the DOT spokesperson stated.

During the April 10 Cabinet meeting, Duffy told President Donald Trump about the previous administration’s massive grant backlog.

“The last administration announced 3,200 projects, big, beautiful roads and bridges — most of them are good. But they announced them — they didn’t sign a grant agreement,” he explained. “So the money doesn’t go out the door to build the infrastructure in the country. And it’s fun to do an announcement. It’s actually the harder work to put together these grant agreements.”

Duffy noted how the Biden administration included “green and social justice requirements.”

“We’re pulling all that out and putting the money toward the infrastructure, not the social movement from the last administration,” he said.

Trump responded, “Good steel, right? As opposed to green papier-mache.”

On Monday, Duffy announced that the DOT had saved taxpayers $63.9 million by terminating a grant between the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak to build a high-speed rail project in Texas.

Duffy called the project “a waste of taxpayer funds and a distraction from Amtrak’s core mission of improving its existing subpar services.”

“If the private sector believes this project is feasible, they should carry the pre-construction work forward, rather than relying on Amtrak and the American taxpayer to bail them out. My department will continue to look for every opportunity to save federal dollars and prioritize efficiencies,” Duffy said.

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'Unimaginable tragedy': Siemens executive, wife, and kids killed when helicopter crashes into Hudson River



A Bell 206 L-4 helicopter carrying six people — three children and three adults, including the pilot — crashed Thursday into the Hudson River, just off of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Footage of the incident shows the fuselage pitching backward and plummeting hundreds of feet into the cold waters below, its tail and main rotor system apparently shorn off. Moments after the helicopter crashes into the river, just missing a Jersey City pier, its rotor can be seen in the footage smashing into nearby waters.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch indicated that four victims were pronounced dead at the scene and two others were taken to Jersey City Medical Center, where they succumbed to their injuries. New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that all six passengers are deceased.

According to the Telegraph, Agustín Escobar, the technology company Siemens' CEO for rail infrastructure, was aboard along with his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, ages 4, 5, and 11. The family, visiting from Spain, were on a sightseeing trip. They chartered a helicopter with Michael Roth's tour company, New York Helicopter.

'We're all devastated.'

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend, Agustin Escobar, and his beloved family," Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens, said in a statement Friday. "We will miss him and his family immensely."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the accident an "unimaginable tragedy."

President Donald Trump said in response to the tragic incident, "The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims."

The doomed aircraft left the Downtown Skyport in Manhattan at 2:59 p.m. and crashed roughly 15 minutes later.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that the tour helicopter was in New York's Special Flight Rules Area, "which means no air traffic control services were being provided when the helicopter crashed." Before the helicopter entered the area, air traffic control from LaGuardia airport was providing assistance.

Tisch indicated that shortly after passing the George Washington Bridge, the aircraft "lost control and hit the water."

The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the incident.

Roth told the Telegraph, "He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn't arrive."

"We're all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying," said Roth.

"I got a call from my manager and my downtown heliport and she said she heard there was a crash, and then my phone blew up from everybody," continued Roth. "Then one of my pilots flew over the Hudson and saw the helicopter upside down."

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said in a statement Thursday evening that dive operations by the NYPD and New Jersey State Police would resume Friday, as major parts of the aircraft had not yet been recovered.

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Trump Policies Push Maryland To Unplug Its EV Mandate

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D.) halted his state's enforcement of its aggressive electric vehicle mandate law, citing the Trump administration's withholding of federal funds and concerns from automakers.

The post Trump Policies Push Maryland To Unplug Its EV Mandate appeared first on .

Why Are There So Many Aviation Accidents?

Recent aviation tragedies and near misses do not come as a surprise. The path to safety failure has been years in the making.