Salvage crews recover part of plane, 55 sets of remains in fatal Washington crash

Salvage crews on Monday recovered part of the fuselage of a passenger plane that plunged into the Potomac River last week after colliding with a US Army helicopter, killing 67 people. A large crane assisted by a smaller one gingerly pulled the twisted wreckage of the Bombardier CRJ-700 operated by American Eagle airlines out of the water and placed it on a barge.

An engine from the regional passenger jet was also recovered from the icy waters. Fifty-five bodies have been recovered and identified so far, according to local authorities. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to compile a preliminary report within 30 days, although a full investigation could take a year.