Colorado Politics

More than 30 bodies recovered, data recorder retrieved at DC plane crash site

Search-and-recovery efforts continued into the night for the midair crash between an Army helicopter and a commercial airliner near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday. 

There were 64 people, including four crew members, aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 and three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk Sikorsky H-60. All are believed to be dead. Flights at Reagan airport were grounded, officials said, and the airport will reportedly remain closed until at least 11 a.m.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser was unable to comment Wednesday night about the crash. However, early Thursday morning, she posted on her social media accounts that there would be a press conference at 7:30 a.m. to provide updates about the crash.

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The helicopter was discovered upside down in the Potomac River, and the airplane had broken into several pieces, according to multiple reports. Debris from the crash and human remains have been washing up along the riverbanks on the Virginia side of the Potomac River throughout the night. 

Jack Potter, president and CEO of Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, updated the media about the incident and explained that the current focus of the efforts was rescue, WTOP News reported.

“We’re in a rescue mode,” he said late Wednesday night.

Divers searching for survivors of the crash have been able to access some parts of the plane’s cabin and have retrieved the plane’s data recording device, more commonly referred to as “black boxes,” CBS News reported. It is unknown, however, which was found, the cockpit voice recorder or the device that tracks the plane’s performance.

As of early Thursday morning, more than 30 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, NBC Washington reported.

John Donnelly, chief of the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, provided updates about the complications in recovery efforts due to the weather and river conditions. He called them “highly complex.”

“It’s a highly complex operation,” Donnelly said. “The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders. It’s cold. They’re dealing with relatively windy conditions.” 

“It’s just dangerous and hard to work in,” he added. “And because there’s not a lot of lights, you’re out there searching every square inch of space.”

Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, posted a video expressing his condolences. 

“First and most importantly, I’d like to express our deep sorrows about these events,” Islom said. “This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones.”

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He explained that providing accurate and truthful information was among his highest priorities.

“We understand and appreciate the people are eager for information. Please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as we can, but anything we must report, must be accurate,” he added. “We owe that to everyone involved.”

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