Authorities have confirmed that all 67 victims from last week’s devastating mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter have been recovered from the Potomac River.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 60 passengers and four crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, along with three individuals on the Black Hawk helicopter. The D.C. Chief Medical Examiner’s office has positively identified 66 of the 67 remains recovered, with ten sets already returned to their families, including that of American Airlines flight attendant Ian Epstein.
A dedicated team of over 100 professionals has been working around the clock to ensure the victims are identified and reunited with their loved ones as swiftly as possible once leaving the Potomac. The D.C. Medical Examiner’s office, along with forensic specialists, public health officials, and the FBI, has played a crucial role in expediting this process.
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Diaz acknowledged the emotional toll this disaster has taken on his team but emphasized their commitment to providing closure for grieving families. “It takes an emotional toll on everybody that works here. But we are really motivated to have answers for the families… so that gives us the fuel we need to keep going,” he said.
Despite the unprecedented scale of this disaster, swift coordination and strong leadership have ensured an efficient and dignified response. The final victim recovered on Tuesday is expected to be scientifically identified by Wednesday.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there was “standard communication, so there was not a breakdown, if that’s your question, in communication between the military helicopter and the American Airlines flight. There was communication between the aircraft and the tower.”
Duffy noted the tragedy was preventable.
