As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District continues working with local, state and federal partners to clear the wreckage along the Potomac River following the mid-air collision of an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, salvage experts have determined a tentative timeline for removal of wreckage along the impacted waterway.
Together with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), prestaging for salvage operations began Jan. 31 with the arrival of a crane barge, deck barges with spuds, dive boats, and two surface-supplied dive systems that will facilitate dive operations, providing critical data that will assist in future operations. All salvage operations will be 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. Should any remains be located, an automatic work stoppage would begin until proper coordination with the appropriate authorities.
The operations are expected to commence Feb. 3, pending results of detailed salvage surveys that will determine the full breadth of the debris field and allow for creation of a lift plan that addresses large wreckage. The initial focus is removal of the remnants of the regional jet, which is expected to take three days.
Following recovery of the jet, crews will shift to recovery of the Black Hawk helicopter and associated wreckage. Upon completion of large lifts, on or around Feb. 8, crews will focus on clearing large debris in the remaining debris field with salvage baskets before demobilizing equipment by Feb. 12.
The USCG Captain of the Port for the Maryland-National Capital Region has established a temporary safety zone, restricting vessel traffic in all navigable waters north of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Mariners are urged to avoid the area.
The operational timeline is contingent upon priority of lifts, requirements for offload, cataloging of wreckage, weather and tidal considerations.
“The level of coordination both behind the scenes and out on the Potomac is exceptional,” said Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera. “As part of the Unified Command working diligently to remove obstructions from this historic waterway, we have not and will not lose focus of what is most important – the safety of our crews and accounting for those still missing to bring closure to their families and loved ones.”
