WASHINGTON – On Monday, salvage teams began to extract wreckage from the Potomac River after a tragic incident involving an American Airlines passenger plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which resulted in the loss of 67 lives, marking it as the deadliest air disaster in over 20 years.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is spearheading the recovery operation, with an initial emphasis on retrieving the damaged passenger aircraft before addressing the helicopter and other debris.

Col. Francis B. Pera from the Army Corps provided updates at a news briefing, stating that additional human remains were discovered during Monday’s recovery efforts. He assured that the team is dedicated to handling the recovery of victims with respect. To date, 55 of the deceased have been identified.

“I must stress that if any remains are found, we will halt work until we can properly coordinate with the relevant authorities,” Pera stated.

Officials anticipate that it will take approximately three days to recover the passenger plane from the water near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Throughout Monday, several cranes were visible lifting sizable debris from the river. Pera confirmed that crews successfully retrieved one of the two engines, along with the fuselage and began recovering a wing from the water.

Most of the items collected are expected to remain on a barge overnight prior to being moved to a hangar for analysis as part of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the disaster’s cause.

Attention will shift to retrieving the cockpit of the plane on Tuesday, Pera noted, while mentioning that wind and tidal conditions might impact the recovery operation.

Significant Section of the Plane’s Fuselage Retrieved

On Monday afternoon, recovery teams extracted a large, fragmented piece of the passenger jet’s fuselage from the Potomac River, marking the biggest section salvaged since the aircraft collided with the Army helicopter and fell into the river near Reagan National Airport.

The sizable white metal piece was carefully lifted by crane and placed onto a barge. Wires dangled from its fractured edges, and the side displayed three window openings along with the registration number N709PS and a small American flag.

Officials believe that multiple victims remain within the fuselage, complicating the ongoing recovery process.

– Karissa Waddick

Extensive Area of the Potomac River Restricted to Unauthorized Vessels

The U.S. Coast Guard has restricted access to a significant portion of the Potomac River while various agencies collaborate on the recovery of remaining wreckage and victims following the fatal incident.

Capt. Patrick Burkett announced in a Sunday press briefing that access to the river north of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is prohibited to all unauthorized vessels. The bridge connects Alexandria, Virginia, and Oxon Hill, Maryland, and is located south of Washington and Reagan National Airport.

Four small boats, accompanied by two Coast Guard cutters, are monitoring to ensure that only authorized vessels approach the designated “safety zone,” he added. Approximately 200 Coast Guard personnel have been dispatched to aid in the recovery efforts.

Recovery Activities in the Potomac River Proceed Slowly and Somberly

Onlookers driving past the airport on Monday morning wouldn’t have realized recovery operations were underway.

The atmosphere was subdued. A single black helicopter patrolled above the salvage site, while police boats with flashing blue lights floated nearby. Every few minutes, commercial planes departed from the runway, flying over the wreck site.

Cranes were employed to lift wreckage materials from the river onto a pair of U.S. Navy barges. A diver equipped with scuba gear stood ready on a police boat, prepared to enter the cold waters.

Inside Reagan National Airport, the environment was lively, with travelers by the window in Terminal 1 enjoying coffee, working on laptops, and awaiting their flights.

– Karissa Waddick

Tragic Loss: Many Victims Affiliated with Figure Skating

Nearly half of the passengers on the ill-fated flight that collided with an Army helicopter were connected to the figure skating community, according to Samuel Auxier, CEO of U.S. Figure Skating.

“Those we lost devoted their lives to excelling in figure skating, many aspiring to become Olympians. Their legacy will never be forgotten,” Auxier stated. “May their dedication and excellence motivate us and grant us strength in the days ahead. At this moment, our hearts weigh heavy with grief, and we stand in solidarity with their families and friends as we mourn this immeasurable loss.”

The 28 members of the skating community were returning from a development camp for promising skaters held in Wichita, Kansas, after the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating national championships.

In a memorial video shared on social media, U.S. Figure Skating identified 11 skaters, all between the ages of 11 and 16, among the victims. Four coaches were also killed in the crash, including the married pair Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, Olympians who won the 1994 pairs world championship representing Russia. The remaining 13 figure skating community members aboard were family of the skaters.

– Tom Schad

Next Steps in the Investigation of the Plane-Helicopter Incident

The NTSB has successfully retrieved the black boxes from both the passenger plane and the military helicopter. These recording devices are vital for investigating crashes as they provide essential insights, including internal communications and data regarding the aircraft’s altitude, instrument readings, and power settings.

Thus far, the agency has indicated that initial findings from these devices suggest the helicopter was operating above the 200-foot ceiling for its route over the Potomac River on the evening of the incident.

The agency anticipates completing a full transcription of the communications exchanged between the aircraft and traffic controllers, as shared by NTSB member Todd Inman during a recent press conference. A preliminary report on the crash is expected within the next 30 days, according to NTSB officials.

Jet Increased Pitch Just Before Collision

In the past few days, the agency has provided more information regarding the staffing at the control tower of Reagan National Airport and the sequence of events leading to the crash.

The lead investigator, Brice Banning, stated that moments after air traffic control directed the Black Hawk helicopter to fly behind the passenger plane at approximately 8:47 p.m. ET, there was a notable “verbal reaction” from the plane’s crew and flight data indicated that the plane began to pitch upward just before the collision sounds were recorded.

At the time of the accident, five personnel were on duty in the control tower at Reagan National Airport, including an operations supervisor in charge and a training operations supervisor, Inman mentioned.

Contributing: John Bacon and Mike Snider,