The aviation disaster near Washington DC has brought up memories of another crash into the Potomac River 43 years ago – the Air Florida Flight 90. The search at the crash site of the American Airlines plane and US military Black Hawk helicopter has turned into a recovery operation after officials said they don’t ‘believe there are any survivors.

The crash and rescue on the icy river connecting Washington, DC and Virginia had similarities to this one. Five of the 79 aboard the flight survived.

We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital.

All of the "major" pieces of wreckage from the collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 have been cleared from the Potomac River, officials said.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are examining the wreckage after an American Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter collided midair near Reagan National Airport (DCA),

All major pieces of the American Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter that collided last week in Washington, DC, have been recovered, the National Transportation Safety Board announced Saturday.