The bodies of all 67 victims of the midair crash between an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter have been recovered, authorities announced.
“After extensive search and recovery operations, Unified Command confirms the recovery of 67 victims from the aircraft collision,” the agency said in a statement shared by D.C. Fire and EMS on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
“At this time, 66 of the remains have been positively identified,” the agency added. “This marks a significant step in bringing closure to the families and the community.”
Officials noted that the D.C. Medical Examiner is continuing “its work to ensure the dignified identification of remains and support the families through this process.”
As their efforts continue, authorities remain focused on clearing the debris from the Potomac River, which is expected to take several days. “Large lifts will continue through Tuesday evening, with unloading expected when environmental and tidal conditions allow on Wednesday, February 5,” the agency wrote
“While all victims have been identified, salvage operations will continue with a strict commitment to the dignified recovery of any additional remains,” officials said.
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The deadly crash claimed the lives of 11 child and teen figure skaters along with seven friends returning from a pheasant-hunting trip, a 12-year-old girl who had survived cancer and a college student who had just attended her grandfather’s funeral.
It is also the nation’s deadliest air crash since November 2001.
Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Army are also seeking to uncover the cause of the crash.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck event,” NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy previously reporters of the quest for answers. “We’re here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation.”
Investigators hope to release a preliminary report on what caused the collision within 30 days, though a final report could take up to a year or more.
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