As crews continue recovering bodies from the Potomac following the aircraft crash between a passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk Helicopter, those tasked with doing so are detailing harrowing images.
One of the divers said he had seen "horrors" as he kept seeking remains to salvage. So far 55 bodies have been recovered from the deadliest such crash since 2001, with 12 more still unaccounted for. Another unidentified firefighter told NewsNation reporter Brian Entin that firefighters are "emotionally wiped out after seeing the horror up close."
Washington DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said he believes all bodies will be eventually recovered, although their location is still unclear. "we have some work to do as this salvage operation goes on, and we will absolutely stay here and search until such point as we have everybody," he said.
Crew members are also set to begin a "lifting operation" to begin the recovery of the plane wreckage. Parts will be then loaded onto tracks and taken for further investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced last Friday that investigators have successfully recovered critical flight records from the fatal crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines passenger plane.
Officials expressed a "high level of confidence" that a full data download will be possible from the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which should provide information vital to the investigation of the incident.
The FDR, which contains up to 2,000 data points, was found in good condition and soaked in alcohol overnight before being opened for evaluation. Investigators are now working to synchronize and verify the recorded data, a complex process officials warn will take time and must be entirely completed before any findings can be released.
The NTSB emphasized that the analysis process is meticulous and time-consuming but remains confident that the information retrieved will provide critical insights into the moments leading up to the disaster.
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