The crews that work to erase and recover the bodies of victims of the Potomac River in Washington, DC, after the mid-air collision of January 29 of an American regional jet airlines and a helicopter of the army of the army The United States Army initiated elevation operations on February 3. The effort to eliminate the remains of the JET is expected to take three days, according to the United States Army Engineers.
The Regional Jet, a CRJ700 bombier, had flown from Wichita, Kan., And approached Ronald Reagan Washington’s National Airport when he collided with a UH-60 Black Hawk on the river nearby. of the airport, according to the federal administration of aviation. The helicopter was flying a training mission for Fort Belvoir, Va., The army said.
None of the four Jet crews, 60 passengers or the crew of three people from the helicopter survived.
Industry connections
With about 55 of the 64 victims of falls recovered and identified from the time of the press, some of the on board had long -term or early connections with engineering and construction.
A spokeswoman for Kiewit Corp confirmed to Enr on February 3 the death of Robert Prewitt, former member of the Ironworker Union ‘Local 5 in Largo, MD. Maryland. He “started with our company as an iron worker in 2016 and in 2021 accepted a staff position as superintendent,” he said. “We are deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of Robert Prewitt. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.” The age of prewitt and his current task of the project could not be confirmed, Not even the reason for their journey to the plane, which some media outlets claimed to business.
The United Plumbers and Pipefitters of the Union (UA) association confirmed on January 31 that six of those who died are members of the current Union based in two Maryland premises, belonging to 602 venues based in Capitol Heights and one to local 5 based in Lanham. The website of Local 602 says that it has more than 6,000 trips, learning and members of the aid that work for about 200 companies in mechanical construction and areas related to the region.
Members returned from an annual hunting trip to Kansas, according to several media reports, but the union did not confirm.
In a publication on social media, UA President Mark Mcmanus, and local business manager 602, Chris Madello, said of the members: “Who they were and what they wanted for all of us will never be forgotten. Its dedication, friendship and brotherhood will remain in our hearts forever. “
Several members of the Flight UA had built races as construction field managers and as executives in Washington, DC, region contractors or as entrepreneurs in the sector.
Jesse Pitcher, 30, was an eight -year -old local member who had won a travel -level license and started a plumbing company in 2020 with a partner after a pandemic dismissal. He was also building his own house, according to his father’s comments Jameson Pitcher and his partner Charlie Gray at Wichita Eagle and New York Times.
Charles “Charlie” McDaniel, 44, was a 22-year-old local 602-year-old member who was the Vice President and Director General of American Mechanical Services, Laurel, MD. Leader and apprentice.
Jonathan Boyd, 40, with 20 years as a local member of 602, was a senior vice president of the Mechanical Installation Firm and Plenary Heffron Co., in Kensington, MD.
Michael “Mikey” Stovall, 40, a local member of the 602 -year -old, was superintendent in Gaghan Mechanical, Alexandria, who does general construction work and HVAC in the DC metro area. With Stovall on his hunting trip he was James “Tommy” Clagett, not a member of the union, but a Charles County, Md., A resident who was the Executive Vice President of Gaghan Mechanical and a 16 -year -old veteran.
Among the dead were Alexander “Alex” Huffman, 34, and a member of the nine -year -old UA, said the union.
The youngest victim with a link from the industry was Grace Maxwell, 20, young mechanical engineering at the University of Cedarville, in the north -East Cincinnati, in Greene County, Ohio, according to an official at the school that He spoke with a local television station. According to media reports, it was described by the President of the University, Thomas Whiteas, as a “attentive and quiet student leader who helped teach other students on engineering”.
Recovery works continue
Colonel Francis Pera, commander of the Baltimore District, told journalists on February 2 that all the recovered material will be transported to a hangar for the research of the National Transport Safety Board. “We are extremely deliberate on how we approach this,” he said.
Twelve of the 67 people killed in the collision had not yet been recovered in early February 3, and Pera said that the crews will stop to work at any time that human remains are found during the operation in order to to recover -first.
The Coast Guard established a temporary security area in the area, closing the river to traffic north of the Woodrow Wilson bridge during the operation.
The body works with the U.S. Navy supervisor of Salfege and Diving and the United States Costera Guard in the recovery effort, along with the contractor Donjon Marine Co., based in Hillside, Donjon Marine Co., according to one Representative of the Baltimore Corps District. Donjon previously worked on Wreckage’s elimination of Francis Scott Key’s collapsed bridge in Baltimore.
After recovering the ray, the crews used by cranes plans to change the recovery of the helicopter, according to the body. Officials are planning to demobilize -on February 12.
