US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has come out in support of the Navy Blue Angels amid a review into one of the jets flying at low altitude over a crowd in Florida. The incident occurred during an airshow celebrating the squadron’s 80th anniversary and the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Incident Under Review
Video footage online showed a jet from the famed flight demonstration squadron flying close above a crowd at Pensacola Beach, Florida, sending sand and beach items flying. The Blue Angels, in a statement, said the incident on Wednesday was under review.
Current and former officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said video of the incident raised safety concerns but they did not want to prejudge any formal investigation without more information. Hegseth came out in support of the pilots, stating, ‘The flyovers will continue until morale improves,’ in a play on words that appeared to reference a saying attributed by some to a British captain about beatings continuing until morale improves.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said a ‘flight debrief’ had been completed and there would be no reprimands. ‘That’s the sound of Freedom!’ he added. Military aviation is closely regulated, and flying at low altitudes can pose serious risks, given the limited reaction time pilots have.
Democratic Representative Seth Moulton expressed concerns about the incident, stating, ‘Aviation safety rules are written in blood. Glamorizing and excusing reckless behavior like this will only lead to more, until we reach the point where a horrific tragedy occurs because of brazen, careless rhetoric like this.’
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
