Washington: US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy expressed his intention to seek clarification from the Pentagon concerning the flight of a UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter in the airspace of Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, DC. The helicopter's presence led to two passenger planes having to perform go-arounds.

According to Namibia Press Agency, NBC News reported earlier that Delta Air Lines and Republic Airways commercial planes, which were approaching DCA, were instructed to abandon their landing attempts on Thursday. The directive was issued to avoid airspace conflicts with the Black Hawk helicopter that was en route to the Pentagon.

Duffy took to the social media platform X late on Friday to express his concerns, stating, "Unacceptable???. Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear. In addition to investigations from [National Transportation Safety Board] and [Federal Aviation Administration], 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."

This incident draws attention to a tragic event that occurred on January 29, when a US Army helicopter collided with a regional passenger jet near DCA. The crash resulted in both aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River, claiming the lives of all 67 individuals on board. It marked the most significant air disaster in the United States in 15 years.