Three Killed, 4 Injured in Grand Canyon Helicopter Crash
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: -- a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Grand Canyon.</s>CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: These are some of the first pictures we are getting of what happened there. Local police have called in the military now to help rescue the survivors. And you can see why. The terrain is rocky. The winds are high and it's still dark in Arizona. CNN's Polo Sandoval is joining us live with more details. What have you learned this hour?</s>POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christi, we do understand that first responders have actually reached these four survivors so they are helping them, administering first aid there and trying to get them some of the help that they need. The next issue, though, is getting these survivors out of the scene. It is something that has proven to be difficult, to say the least. You mentioned, it is rocky. It is extremely rugged terrain there. This accident happening in the corner of Master (ph) Canyon, which is a part of the Grand Canyon there, a deeply valley that is extremely tough to get by air. With these windy conditions, we understand wind gusts up to 50 miles an hour making it very difficult for aerial access. However, now with military assistance, that likely could hopefully get these what are described as trauma, level one trauma patients out of the scene as this investigation begins. We understand the NTSB will be looking into the cause of this accident. This was a tour operated by Papillon Tour group. It's described itself as the world's largest sightseeing company. We also understand that this was a helicopter that was an EC 130 based on the manufacturer's Website. It's a single engine, very roomy, very capable aircraft there, capable of transporting seven to eight people, very popular among both law enforcement and also the tourism industry. So, again, the NTSB will be launching an investigation there. We dig some digging, found out that this tour group, this tour company was involved in a deadly accident back in 2001 and haven't seen anything since. And now here we are, again, where again four of seven people did survive a deadly accident there in the Grand Canyon. This is still an evolving situation as the military now joins in for assistance here, trying to get the survivors away from the scene and over to help.</s>BLACKWELL: Yes, hopefully, sunrise there in a few hours helps bring the people out quickly. Polo Sandoval, thanks so much.</s>SANDOVAL: You bet.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is another example of the White House being forced to deal with a crisis.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There has to be a zero tolerance towards that type of domestic violence.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president is being rather defiant in response to these accusations of two his now former staffers.</s>DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He said, very strongly yesterday, he is innocent but we absolutely wish him well.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Disgusting comes to mind. Disturbing also comes to mind.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's important for the president to acknowledge the victims.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are in the middle of a Sunday afternoon protest in Seoul and these people are angry about what is going on.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vice President Pence came here calling for maximum pressure, calling for isolation of North Korea, and instead the North Korean delegation was in the VIP box with him.</s>BLACKWELL: We'll get to that story in a moment, but Democrats are now demanding answers as the White House faces questions over the handling of two staffers accused of domestic abuse.</s>PAUL: A dozen Democratic senators have sent a letter to Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House counsel Don McGahn. And the senators ask when the White House found out about the abuse allegations and why the staffers were allowed to keep their jobs until this week. It's not only a moral question, there are also some national security implications here. The letter asks, should Rob Porter have been handling classified information with an interim clearance?</s>BLACKWELL: Now, President Trump continued to defending his now former staffers, this time through a statement on Twitter saying that lives are being destroyed over what he called mere allegations and whatever happened to due process, he asked. But after that, an attempt at pivot for the president to the ongoing fight over immigration.</s>PAUL: We are live from Washington with our CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes now. Kristen, good morning to you. What are you hearing from the White House?</s>KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christi. Good morning, Victor. Well, administration officials are telling us this is a White House in turmoil dealing with, yet, another public relations crisis. You mentioned that pivot to immigration. Well, this is likely because of the widespread backlash President Trump received from that tweet, from that response. And this is really become a pattern that we have seen with the president when responding to these abuse allegations, particularly when they are against his colleagues or his friends or even himself. Now, people took issue with many parts of this response, but one thing, in particular. There was no mention of the victims. President Trump did not mention the victims when he first responded to the situation in the oval office and then he didn't mention the victims again in this tweet. Now, take a listen to what a Republican Congressman Charlie Dent had to say about that.</s>REP. CHARLIE DENT (R), PENNSYLVANIA: There has to be a zero tolerance toward that type of domestic violence that is being discussed in these two situations. That's very clear. And, of course, we should be very sympathetic and empathetic to the victims, to the women who have been violated here, subject of violence. That said, I think it's important for the president to acknowledge the victims.</s>HOLMES: And again, that was a Republican congressman. And now, as you mentioned, that the letter from 12 Democratic senators. And they are outlining everything from the security clearance. Did Porter disclose this situation? Did he actually get denied a security clearance? And was he handling these classified documents without a clearance? And what did John Kelly and Don McGahn know? And when they did know it? And I just want to for our viewers lay out what we've been told by our sources which is that it was in January and February of 2017, so a year ago, when Porter first told Don McGahn that this might be an issue on his background check and then again in the fall of this year is when John Kelly was made aware of the situation.</s>PAUL: All right. Kristen Holmes, we appreciate it so much. Thank you.</s>BLACKWELL: And still to come, Kim Jong-un's sister had a lunch meeting with the South Korean prime minister in Seoul but on the street was very different, not so friendly. Protesters chanted anti- North Korean slogans. We'll tell you more about what happened there.</s>PAUL: And history was made in Pyeongchang. The U.S. took home gold in the men's snowboard slope style and Coy Wire was there with Red Gerard's elated family. We have a live report for you. Stay close.