Authorities recovered all of the 67 victims from the Potomac River less than a week after an American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter in the Washington, D.C., area.
Search and recovery efforts are over after the crash last Wednesday, with 66 people identified, according to a statement Tuesday from D.C. officials. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is still working to identify the final victim.
Officials called it a “significant step” to bringing closure following the tragic collision.
“Our hearts are with the victims’ families as they navigate this tragic loss,” the statement said. “We extend our deepest condolences and remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time.”
Authorities will now turn to clearing the wreckage from the Potomac River.
The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the crash from Wednesday night, when American Airlines Flight 5342 traveling from Wichita, Kansas, collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter outside of Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
There were 64 people on board the commercial flight, including many young Olympic hopefuls traveling back from a figure skating competition, and three soldiers on the helicopter.
There were a total of 28 people on board the plane connected to ice skating, which includes coaches, athletes and their relatives, according to a statement from U.S. Figure Skating.
“They were incredible athletes, caring and supportive family members, and coaches who worked tirelessly for their athletes,” said U.S. Figure Skating interim CEO Samuel Auxier. “They were beloved members of our global skating community, and we mourn their loss together.”
A cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered from the plane, and the black boxes are at a lab for evaluation, the NTSB said last week. All of the data from the American Airlines plane devices, as well as the helicopter’s black box, are expected to be recovered.
Skies were clear on the night of the crash, so it does not appear that weather played a significant role in the cause of the collision.
There was only one air traffic controller in the control tower on the night of the crash, a source with knowledge of an internal preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration told NBC News. That controller was handling both helicopters and airplanes.
Usually, the tower has a separate controller who deals exclusively with helicopter traffic, although FAA safety standards do allow for the combined position.
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