The icy waters of the Potomac River were the grim backdrop for a massive recovery effort. 67 lives were lost when a military helicopter and a passenger jet collided over the Potomac River. The local emergency team, guided by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers,  worked tirelessly to clean the river.  Sixteen years, this was the worst air disaster in the U. S.

        Before noon, the crews had already pulled out one of the plane's engines and parts of its fuselage.  The crew on-site were committed to maintaining a safe, respectful operation as they worked to clear the river of debris.

        The crash site was a chaotic scene.  There were many parts of the plane and helicopter scattered across a large area.  The crews used different techniques to find as much as possible. Many families of the victims were there to pay their respects.  Family members included a civil rights attorney, a biology professor, and several champion figure skaters. Many people lost their lives.

        But the recovery teams had to manage a tough job.  They needed to stay focused.  The team included divers and other workers.  Experts worked together to clear the river.

        The Unified Command had a tough job.  They had to make sure that the remains of the victims were treated with respect.  This was a 24 hour job.

        The teams on-site had to deal with the grim reality of the task at hand.  But they were also there to help each other.  There were counselors on-site to help the responders cope with the tough situation.

        The crash happened near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.  The wreckage included a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane.

        But the recovery effort didn't stop.

        The teams had to find the Black Hawk helicopter's wreckage after they finished with the plane.

        The investigation will be done by the National Transportation Safety Board.  They will look for answers.  The plane and helicopter wreckage will be moved to a nearby hangar for examination.

        The recovery effort showed that emergency teams needed to be ready for anything.  They had to work together and support each other to get the job done.

Piecing Together the Tragedy: The Potomac River Crash

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