BALTIMORE — A significant milestone was made in the DC-area plane crash salvage operations.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, announced Thursday that all major wreckage from the jet and helicopter crash has been removed from the Potomac River in effort with the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving.
As of February 5, all 67 victims of the crash have been recovered and identified.
Officials say the wreckage will be moved via flatbed to a secure location for a wreckage layout examination by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
“Thanks to the exhaustive efforts of Unified Command personnel, we were able to safely remove all major wreckage components of both the jet and helicopter from the Potomac in four days while simultaneously aiding recovery efforts to reunite families who are mourning the tremendous loss of their loved ones,” said USACE Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera.
In a statement released by the FAA, it is confirmed that helicopter traffic has been restricted in the area over the Potomac River around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and stretching to Wilson Bridge.
Those restrictions will stay in place until the NTSB completes its preliminary investigation.
Full Statement:
On January 31, at Secretary Duffy’s direction, the FAA began restricting helicopter traffic in the area over the Potomac River around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and stretching to Wilson Bridge. These restrictions will remain in place until the NTSB completes its preliminary investigation of the air carrier incident at which point it will be reviewed based on NTSB’s report.Additionally, we have also begun reviewing other airports with high volumes of mixed helicopter and airplane traffic nearby.FAA investigators are closely supporting the NTSB-led investigation and we will quickly take any additional necessary actions and conduct appropriate reviews based on the evidence.
Until then, crews will shift their focus to clearing smaller debris in the remaining debris field with salvage baskets before demobilizing equipment by February 16.
“We will continue pushing forward in the coming days until we are confident the river is safe for navigation and that elements of evidentiary value are recovered and provided to the appropriate authorities,” said Pera.
