WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today issued the following statements about the plane crash that took place in Ethiopia, and announced a hearing on aviation safety.

“The plane crash in Ethiopia is a tragedy, and our deepest sympathies are with the families of the passengers. We are monitoring the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations very closely,” said Wicker. “It is important to allow the FAA, NTSB and other agencies to conduct thorough investigations to ensure they have as much information as possible to make informed decisions. Thousands of passengers every day depend on the aviation system to get them safely to their destinations, and we must never become complacent with the level of safety in our system. Therefore, the committee plans to hold a hearing reviewing the state of aviation safety to ensure that safety is maintained for all travelers.”

Hearing details will follow.