Recovery Efforts Continue After D.C. Aircraft Collision Identifies 55 Victims
Officials in Washington, D.C., reported that recovery teams have identified 55 bodies from the Potomac River following a midair collision that occurred last week. The incident involved a commercial plane and a Black Hawk helicopter, leading to a challenging multi-day recovery operation.
D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly, Sr. stated that the remains of 55 out of 67 total victims have been positively identified. The only injury reported was that of a first responder who experienced hypothermia during the operation but has since recovered.
Beginning Monday, officials plan to start lifting debris from the Potomac River. Col. Francis Pera of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers expressed optimism about a "successful lift" scheduled for Monday morning. Additionally, he mentioned that a tent will be placed over the wreckage to protect any human remains still present.
"We will be monitoring the lift closely," Pera explained, emphasizing that any remains will be secured during the recovery process.
The aircraft collision involved a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a Bombardier CRJ700 airliner operating as PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. The flight data recorder revealed that the plane was struck at an altitude of 325 feet just before impact.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman reported that while air traffic control indicated the plane was at 200 feet at impact, they require further data to clarify the discrepancies.
Jake Crockett, a firefighter and diver from Chesterfield Fire & EMS, noted that the scale of the recovery is unprecedented. "This situation is incredibly unusual," he said, referring to the efforts needed to account for 67 individuals alongside the debris.
Crockett highlighted the difficulties posed by the Potomac River's conditions, particularly the low visibility underwater, which complicates the retrieval of wreckage and bodies.
