Crews have begun working to remove wreckage from the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, following last week's deadly mid-air collision involving an American Airlines jet and a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter.
The fatal collision occurred Wednesday near Reagan National Airport, leaving all 67 passengers aboard the two aircraft dead. So far, authorities have recovered and identified the bodies of 55 of those killed in the crash, but remain confident they will find those still unaccounted for.
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The crash happened as the American Airlines regional jet — traveling from Wichita, Kansas — was preparing to land at the airport, when it suddenly collided with the helicopter, which was on a training flight.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that it was a clear night and both the jet and helicopter were in a "standard flight pattern" at the time of the crash. Duffy added that he believes the incident could have been prevented, but expressed confidence in flight safety.
The plane’s passengers included figure skaters returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and a group returning from a hunting trip.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Baltimore, along with the U.S. Navy supervisor of salvage and diving, are now working together to remove the remnants of the jet. The salvage operation is expected to take about three days to complete.
