Officials have identified 55 of the 67 people killed in Wednesday’s midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
Fire Chief John Donnelly expressed confidence that all victims would be recovered as salvage operations continue. The Army Corps of Engineers will begin lifting wreckage from the river on Monday, a process expected to take at least a week. Colonel Francis Pera noted the debris field is extensive, requiring multiple recovery techniques. Operations will pause whenever human remains are found.
On Sunday, relatives of the victims arrived near the crash site. The wreckage is being transported to a hangar at Washington Reagan National Airport, where two lesser-used runways remain closed. Much of the Potomac River is restricted to authorized vessels.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the CRJ-700 jet was flying at approximately 325 feet at the time of impact, based on flight data recorder analysis. This suggests the Army helicopter was above its designated 200-foot altitude limit.
Data shows air traffic control warned the helicopter about the jet two minutes before the collision. One second before impact, the flight crew reacted verbally, and flight data indicates the plane’s nose began to rise.
Authorities continue their investigation while recovery efforts progress.
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