The bodies of all 67 victims of the deadly Washington D.C. airplane-helicopter collision have been recovered.
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Authorities announced on Tuesday that all of the passengers and crew members of the American Airlines flight, as well as the soldiers aboard the Army helicopter, have been recovered from the Potomac River.
American Eagle Flight 5342 was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to D.C.’s Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 29. The plane had almost reached the runway when, around 9 p.m. ET, it collided with an Army helicopter in midair. Both aircrafts plummeted into the freezing waters of the Potomac River. Rescue efforts were almost immediately changed to recovery, with no survivors expected.
The American Airlines flight was carrying 60 passengers — many of whom were U.S. figure skaters and coaches returning from a skating camp in Wichita — and four crew members. The helicopter included three military crew members.
ABC News reported that, while the bodies have been recovered, Unified Command crews are still working to clear wreckage, including large pieces of the jet, from the river.
“Large lifts will continue through Tuesday evening, with unloading expected when environmental and tidal conditions allow on Wednesday,” Unified Command said in a statement. “Operations will then shift to recovering wreckage from the Black Hawk helicopter.”
Victims of the Crash Included 60 Passengers, 4 Crew Members and 3 Soldiers
President Donald Trump offered his first public comments on the crash on Jan. 30. In his remarks, he placed blame for the crash on former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system. I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary,” Trump said. The newly returned Commander in Chief issued a federal hiring freeze when he took office on Jan. 20, as at the time of the crash, there was no Senate-confirmed administrator leading the Federal Aviation Administration.
“I put safety first, Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first, and they put politics at a level that nobody’s ever seen because this was the lowest level,” Trump continued. “Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse.”
The president also continued to place blame on DEI initiatives, claiming a “diversity push” led to a shortage of air traffic control workers.
However, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a letter to American Airlines employees on Tuesday that Trump had reached out to him the night prior.
“[He] asked me to relay to all of you his personal appreciation for the work you are doing to support the families and his concern for the well-being of our entire team,” Isom told his employees.
“President Trump also made clear that aviation safety is a priority for his Administration,” the CEO continued. “We look forward to working with him on behalf of all our customers and team members in the name of safety.”