The recovery operation continues in Washington, D.C., following the tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter, with authorities now confirming the recovery of 55 of the 67 victims.
The crash, which occurred Wednesday night, remains the deadliest aviation incident in the United States since 2001.
Washington D.C. Fire and EMS Chief, John Donnelly, provided an update on Sunday evening, revealing that an additional 13 victims had been identified, bringing the total number of victims confirmed to 55.
The crash claimed the lives of passengers from diverse backgrounds, including entire families, young ice skaters, and a college student, as well as all four crew members onboard the flight.
Donnelly expressed confidence that the remains of the remaining 12 victims would be recovered in due time, but acknowledged the uncertainty of their exact locations within the Potomac River.
“If we knew where they were, though, we would already have taken them out,” he said, stressing the importance of continuing the search operation.
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The recovery team, consisting of over 300 responders, is focused on finding the last missing victims and removing the wreckage from the river.
A “lifting operation” scheduled for Monday will begin the process of extracting the aircraft debris. Two Navy salvage barges have been deployed to assist in lifting heavy wreckage.
The operation has proven to be a daunting task. A Metropolitan Police Department diver involved in the search was hospitalized for hypothermia but has since been released and is doing well.
Despite the challenges, Donnelly emphasized the dedication of all responders, noting, “Reuniting those lost in this tragic incident is really what keeps us all going.”
In the wake of the collision, it has been revealed that the Black Hawk helicopter, which was supposed to follow a designated flight path at Reagan National Airport, was operating hundreds of feet off course and at an altitude higher than approved.
The military aircraft, marked as PAT-25, was reportedly flying at over 300 feet and strayed more than half a mile from its designated route before the fatal collision.
