Authorities have confirmed the recovery of remains from all 67 individuals who tragically lost their lives in last week’s midair collision involving an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C. The chief medical examiner is in the process of positively identifying one set of remains, according to officials.
Efforts are underway to retrieve the cockpit and other aircraft components from the Potomac River, where the accident occurred as the American Airlines flight was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. All passengers and crew aboard the two aircraft perished in the crash. Recovery operations are heavily influenced by environmental conditions, and crews have successfully lifted one of the jet’s engines along with large sections of debris.
The American Airlines flight carried 60 passengers and four crew members, many of whom were returning from figure skating championships in Wichita, Kansas. The Black Hawk helicopter was conducting a training mission at the time. Among its occupants were three Army personnel, including Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara.
Federal investigators are diligently working to determine the factors leading to the collision, with hopes of releasing a preliminary report within the next month. This incident marks the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States since 2001.