Posted on February 12, 2025
BALTIMORE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, together with U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) and U.S. Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), today announced that six days ahead of schedule the Potomac River section affected by the Jan. 29 midair collision of an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is now fully restored.
“We are proud of the unified efforts and partnerships that endured through this response and helped make this mission successful,” said Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera. “Each day, we thought of those who lost their lives, their loved ones, and the many incident responders impacted by this tragic event.”
After aiding in initial rescue and recovery operations, 49 USACE subject matter experts worked alongside more than 2,000 responders from 45 private, local, state and federal agencies as they began preliminary assessments required for wreckage removal operations. Prestaging operations commenced Jan. 31, and initial removal of large wreckage began Feb. 3 with major components of the jet and concluded Feb. 6 with removal of the Black Hawk. Crews then cleared the remaining debris field of wreckage that would pose a further hazard to navigation.
All wreckage removal operations were completed in close coordination with the Unified Command to ensure strict adherence to the central priority of the dignified recovery of missing flight passengers and personnel. As of Feb. 5, Unified Command confirmed all 67 victims were recovered and positively identified from the aircraft collision.
All wreckage was transported to a secure location for a layout examination and documentation by the National Transportation Safety Board, as part of their ongoing investigation.
While dive operations on Feb. 10 confirmed all major components have been recovered, the community is reminded they should immediately call 911 if they come across items or have information related to the recovery efforts in the Potomac or Anacostia Rivers or on the shore. They are also advised not to touch or remove any item(s) they encounter.
“With wreckage removal and demobilization behind us, the Potomac is once again safe for navigation,” said Pera. “It is our hope that this helps provide the region a small sense of normalcy following this tragic event.”
Additional Information
Baltimore District delivers vital engineering solutions in collaboration with its partners to serve and strengthen the Nation, energize the economy, and reduce disaster risks. Headquartered near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Baltimore District provides design, engineering, construction, environmental, and real estate expertise to various important projects and customers. This support spans five states, the District of Columbia, overseas, and the Susquehanna, Potomac, and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. These civil and military missions and diverse engineering services support communities and warfighters while addressing the ever-growing list of emerging national security requirements and ultimately protecting the Nation.
