DC Plane Crash Update: Officials Recover All 67 Victims
By: Wise News Network Staff
Washington, DC (WNN)— Authorities announced on Tuesday, February 4th, that recovery teams had retrieved all 67 victims from last week’s deadly collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Black Army helicopter near Washington, DC.
According to the Unified Command, as of Wednesday, February 5th, All 67 bodies have now been identified. The medical examiner’s office is working to “ensure the dignified return of remains to their families and continue supporting the families through this process.”
Wreckage Retrieval Underway
The National Transportation Safety Board said in an update on Tuesday Afternoon that it recovered several parts of the airplane, including the right wing, part of the left wing, and major portions of the forward cockpit and cabin.
On Monday, Authorities removed two engines and the main body of the plane and began recovering one of its wings. It’s estimated that it will take about 3 days to recover the plane. After that, crews will focus on the helicopter before moving both to hangar 7 at the nearby airport.
The wreckage will be studied as part of the investigation into what caused the crash. The NTSB said its investigators need to look at the helicopter to “check certain information,” but it is not clear what they are trying to confirm.
Removal of American Airlines Plane From Waterway
Unified Command includes the Metropolitan Police Department, D.C. Fire and EMS, U.S. Coast Guard, fire and police departments across the National Capital Region, and others. Now that the identification process is finished the main goal is to remove the rest of the wreckage from the Potomac River.
According to Unified Command, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District and the U.S. Coast Guard plan to finish removing all major parts of the American Airlines regional jet from the waterway by Thursday, February 6th.
Once the plane wreckage is cleared, cranes will be used to remove the U.S. Army Black Hawk, followed by clearing larger debris from the area using salvage baskets.
Investigation Details Emerge
Within the last few days, the NTSB spoke with five workers who were in the control tower when the collision happened. Investigators are putting together a detailed timeline of the crash, gathering flight data, and reviewing communications between the helicopter, the passenger jet, and air traffic controllers.
The NTSB reported that the air traffic control tower’s display indicated the Black Hawk was flying at 300 feet when the collision happened. Though the altitude was rounded to the nearest 100 feet, the exact altitude is still unknown.
The most recent release suggests the helicopter may have gone above the 200-foot maximum altitude that was assigned to its flight path on the night of the crash.
Expert Perspective
As the salvage team works in freezing temperatures to recover debris from the cold water, many questions about the cause of the deadly crash remain. However, it could take weeks before answers are clear.
Steven Wallace, the former director of the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation, believes the cause will eventually be clear. “we have radar data, eyewitness accounts, and all the wreckage,” Wallace told CNN’s Phil Mattingly. “Nothing is missing”
American Airlines Honors Victims
CNN obtained a memo from American Airlines Ceo Robert Isom to the airline staff confirming that President Donald Trump called him. In the memo, Isom says the president offered his condolences to the crew, passengers, and their families. The memo also mentioned that Trump asked Isom to express his “personal appreciation” for the airline employees helping the families.
The airline held a moment of silence on Wednesday, February 5th to mark one week since the deadly crash, according to Isom’s memo.
For more WNN video news stories, visit YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wisenewsnetwork
For further WNN articles and news stories, visit: https://wisenewsnetwork.com
Contact WNN at [email protected]
Copyright 2024 Wise News Network. All rights reserved.
