As of January 31, recovery teams have found the bodies of 41 victims. Out of these, officials have confirmed the identities of 28.
The search for the remaining victims from the recent Washington, D.C., plane crash is still ongoing. However, their bodies may not be recovered immediately.
Washington, D.C., Fire Chief John Donnelly stated that officials cannot retrieve the remaining bodies until they lift the plane from the bottom of the Potomac River. He shared this update during a press briefing on Saturday, February 1, according to BBC News.
The Washington, D.C., Fire and EMS Department when contacted for additional details on February 1. There was no immediate response.
No Survivors from the Mid-Air Collision
A total of 67 people lost their lives when American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed into a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter mid-air near Reagan National Airport on January 29.
The plane had 60 passengers and four crew members on board. Meanwhile, three soldiers were in the helicopter. Tragically, there were no survivors.
Emergency Response and Recovery Efforts
Emergency responders rushed to the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport immediately after the crash.
Photos taken at the scene on January 29 showed flashing lights from emergency vehicles along the riverbank as rescue teams worked through the night.
The accident resulted in a major rescue operation. Authorities also grounded all flights at Reagan National Airport following the crash.
Identification of Victims
By Friday, January 31, officials had recovered 41 bodies. Of these, 28 victims have been identified, according to BBC.
The passengers on the flight included:
- Mothers and their children
- Teenage figure skaters returning from a training camp in Kansas
- A group of adult friends coming back from a hunting trip
What Caused the Collision?
Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the crash. However, aviation experts believe that the Army helicopter may not have seen the approaching plane before the accident.
A military pilot, who requested anonymity, told PEOPLE that pilot error was the likely cause.
“The Black Hawk was responsible for keeping a safe distance from other aircraft,” the pilot explained.
“They requested ‘visual separation,’ which means they assured air traffic control that they could see and avoid other planes. But something went wrong.”
Airspace Challenges Near Reagan National Airport
Aviation safety expert Laurie Garrow, who directs the Air Transportation Lab at Georgia Tech, supports this theory. She believes the Black Hawk pilot did not see the passenger jet before impact.
Garrow also pointed out that air traffic near Reagan National Airport is highly congested.
“In D.C., the airport is surrounded by buildings, so pilots must climb quickly or turn sharply to avoid obstacles,” she told PEOPLE.
“There are also restricted zones—aircraft cannot fly over the White House, national monuments, or government buildings.
Because of this, many planes follow the Potomac River, which can make the airspace even more difficult to manage, especially when mixing commercial and military flights.”
Investigation and Next Steps
Authorities will continue their investigation to determine what exactly caused the accident. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to recover the remaining victims from the plane wreckage.
Until the wreckage is lifted from the river, authorities cannot confirm the total number of bodies recovered. Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues.
