Recovery crews lifted an engine from American Airlines Flight 5432 from the Potomac River Monday, marking a crucial step in the complex operation to recover all victims of last Wednesday’s deadly midair collision with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C.
Officials confirmed 55 victims’ remains have been recovered so far from the crash that claimed 67 lives. Recovery teams are now focused on retrieving the remaining victims and wreckage from the river’s murky waters.
“We’re going to recover everyone,” D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said at a Sunday news conference. Recovery workers face challenging conditions with near-zero visibility in the river.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, expects the three-day operation to remove the aircraft wreckage will employ crane and deck barges, dive boats and specialized diving systems.
After transfer to a secure hangar, the National Transportation Safety Board will examine the wreckage to determine the cause of the collision between the commercial airliner and the Black Hawk helicopter.
Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera emphasized the operation’s primary focus remains on victim recovery. “We have not and will not lose focus of what is most important — the safety of our crews and accounting for those still missing to bring closure to their families and loved ones.”
Recovery teams plan to remove the Black Hawk helicopter wreckage next. Officials expect major lifting operations to conclude by Saturday, with debris removal continuing through February 12. Operations pause immediately when victim remains are discovered.
The timeline remains subject to equipment availability, weather conditions and tidal patterns.
