FAA indefinitely closes routes near Washington National Airport to most helicopter traffic

[mahatmakanejeeves]

DC PLANE CRASH: FAA indefinitely closes routes near Reagan National Airport to most helicopter traffic

Boats return to the Potomac River for DC plane crash recovery and investigation

The Associated Press
January 31, 2025, 12:15 PM

Related coverage on the DC plane crash

• Virginia leaders say they’ve been raising concerns over DC’s crowded airspace for ‘many, many years’
• PHOTOS: Passenger jet collides with military helicopter before crashing into Potomac River
• Video appears to show American Airlines flight’s collision with a US Army helicopter near DC

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Police boats combed the banks of the Potomac River on Friday, moving slowly under rainy skies and scanning the shoreline as investigators sought clues into the midair collision that killed 67 people and raised questions about air traffic safety around the nation’s capital.

No one survived the Wednesday night collision between the commercial airliner and an Army helicopter. More than 40 bodies have been pulled from the river as the massive recovery effort continued Friday, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Officials also heavily restricted helicopter traffic around the airport, an official said, hours after President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that the Army Black Hawk had been flying higher than its allowed limit.

Planes continued to take off and land at Reagan Reagan National Airport after the worst U.S. air disaster in a generation, with airport operations gradually returning to normal after a slew of canceled and delayed flights following the crash.

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