Following the tragic midair collision over the Potomac River on January 29th, officials in Washington, D.C. have provided updates on the ongoing investigation and recovery efforts. As of Saturday, 42 sets of remains have been retrieved from the crash site, with 38 positively identified by the D.C. chief medical examiner. This incident claimed the lives of 67 individuals.
Recovery teams have been working to retrieve the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision. While the aircraft was briefly stabilized using a crane, full removal has not yet been achieved. The U.S. Coast Guard is actively supporting search and rescue operations, maintaining a safety zone on the river. Divers from a specialized salvage company are currently surveying the wreckage.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has outlined a recovery operation timeline, anticipated to run from February 3rd to 12th. The initial phase will prioritize retrieving the remnants of the regional jet, estimated to take three days. Subsequently, crews will focus on recovering the Black Hawk helicopter and remaining debris. Salvage baskets will be utilized to clear the debris field before equipment demobilization.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman addressed the ongoing investigation into the air traffic control communications during a news conference. He clarified that while both aircraft would have received air traffic control transmissions, they would not have been able to hear each other. The NTSB is currently analyzing the air traffic control transcript and plans to release the UHF radio transmissions after synchronization. It is yet to be confirmed whether the Black Hawk crew was using night vision goggles at the time of the incident, although it was a training flight where such equipment would typically be employed.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared a video statement on X, expressing his condolences to the victims' families and assuring the public of ongoing updates. He confirmed that airspace restrictions have been implemented around DCA for helicopter traffic as a safety measure. Duffy emphasized his commitment to maintaining public confidence in air travel.
