Search crews on Saturday are still working to recover bodies in the Potomac River after the collision of a passenger plane and an Army helicopter that left 67 people dead near Reagan Washington National Airport.
In total, 26 people’s bodies have yet to be recovered from Wednesday’s collision, considered the deadliest aviation disaster in decades. As of Friday, the remains of 41 people have been recovered.
Two of the three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk helicopter had been identified by the Army. American Airlines Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members on board.
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On Saturday, Navy barges from Virginia Beach are set to arrive to salvage the passenger plane and helicopter from the Potomac and retrieve the rest of the bodies. D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly said Friday that search teams have continued with sonar scanning, searching the Potomac’s shoreline and aerial operations.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators already recovered the two “black boxes” from the plane. On Friday evening, NTSB member Todd Inman said the helicopter’s black box had been recovered and appeared in good condition. These boxes − containing flight data and recorders − will be used to help determine the cause of the crash.
A Washington Post analysis of radio transmissions found the helicopter had been alerted by air traffic control twice that the plane was inbound. The first warning reportedly occurred two minutes before the collision, with a second warning about 12 seconds before the two aircraft collided.
FAA restricts helicopter routes near Reagan National Airport
The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday began restricting helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the aftermath of the deadly collision.
The Department of Transportation said the restriction exempts helicopters that need to enter the airspace for “lifesaving medical support, active law enforcement, active air defense, or presidential transport.”
The restricted area over the Potomac River stretches roughly from the Memorial Bridge to the Wilson Bridge. The Department of Transportation said officials will reassess the restriction after the National Transportation Safety Board has completed its preliminary investigation of Wednesday’s crash.
Air space is typically crowded around the Washington area, home to three commercial airports and multiple military bases. The Potomac corridor in particular is busy with airliners and helicopters.
