Following the tragic plane crashes in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has emphasized the continued safety of air travel. The D.C. crash, which involved a collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport, resulted in over 60 fatalities, while the Philadelphia incident claimed seven lives.

In an interview on "The Ingraham Angle," Duffy, a former FOX Business co-host, reassured the public that air travel remains the safest mode of transportation in the U.S. He stated that if airspace safety were compromised, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would take immediate action to ground flights.

Emergency personnel are currently working to recover debris from the Potomac River following the collision. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is actively investigating the cause of the D.C. crash. Duffy underscored the agency's commitment to prioritizing safety above all other considerations, including environmental, social justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

While former President Donald Trump speculated about the potential role of DEI hiring practices in the incident, Duffy focused on addressing staffing shortages within the FAA, particularly the loss of air traffic controllers during the COVID-19 pandemic. He outlined plans to expedite the recruitment and training of new controllers to ensure optimal staffing levels in control towers nationwide.

Air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan International Airport continue to manage air traffic as recovery operations persist. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

Furthermore, Duffy advocated for modernizing the nation's air traffic control system, a long-overdue upgrade. He expressed optimism about bipartisan support for this initiative, emphasizing the shared goal of enhancing both safety and efficiency in air travel.