Recovery teams commenced the removal of the wreckage of American Airlines Flight 5342 from the Potomac River following a deadly collision with an Army helicopter.
Crews Begin Recovery of Plane Wreckage from Potomac River
Crews Begin Recovery of Plane Wreckage from Potomac River
Salvage operation for American Airlines Flight 5342 proceeds after tragic collision
Salvage crews started lifting parts of the American Airlines aircraft from the Potomac River on Monday morning, kicking off a recovery operation anticipated to span three days. Shortly after 10 a.m. Eastern time, the first piece of wreckage surfaced – what appeared to be an engine from the submerged jet.
Rescue boats and personnel began converging on the scene around 8 a.m., preparing for the recovery efforts. Colonel Francis Pera from the Army Corps of Engineers indicated the salvage operation would potentially reveal the remains of some passengers still unaccounted for following the tragic incident involving the jet and a U.S. Army helicopter last Wednesday.
Authorities confirmed there were a total of 64 individuals onboard the plane and three in the helicopter at the time of the crash, none of whom survived the impact. As of Sunday afternoon, recovery teams have successfully retrieved remains of 55 victims, with searches still ongoing in the cold and murky waters of the Potomac.
Once lifted from the river, the wreckage will be transferred to a flatbed trailer and transported to a hangar for in-depth analysis as part of the ongoing crash investigation.
The disastrous collision, which occurred in clear weather conditions while the jet was approaching the Ronald Reagan National Airport shortly before 9 p.m., marks the deadliest aviation incident in the United States in the past two decades. While federal investigators continue their inquiries, they have refrained from speculating on the causes of the accident, although it has reignited concerns around staffing levels, air traffic congestion, and overall airport safety at one of the busiest hubs in the nation.
As recovery efforts proceed, the focus remains on honoring the lives lost and ensuring the safe operation of air traffic in the future.
Rescue boats and personnel began converging on the scene around 8 a.m., preparing for the recovery efforts. Colonel Francis Pera from the Army Corps of Engineers indicated the salvage operation would potentially reveal the remains of some passengers still unaccounted for following the tragic incident involving the jet and a U.S. Army helicopter last Wednesday.
Authorities confirmed there were a total of 64 individuals onboard the plane and three in the helicopter at the time of the crash, none of whom survived the impact. As of Sunday afternoon, recovery teams have successfully retrieved remains of 55 victims, with searches still ongoing in the cold and murky waters of the Potomac.
Once lifted from the river, the wreckage will be transferred to a flatbed trailer and transported to a hangar for in-depth analysis as part of the ongoing crash investigation.
The disastrous collision, which occurred in clear weather conditions while the jet was approaching the Ronald Reagan National Airport shortly before 9 p.m., marks the deadliest aviation incident in the United States in the past two decades. While federal investigators continue their inquiries, they have refrained from speculating on the causes of the accident, although it has reignited concerns around staffing levels, air traffic congestion, and overall airport safety at one of the busiest hubs in the nation.
As recovery efforts proceed, the focus remains on honoring the lives lost and ensuring the safe operation of air traffic in the future.
