‘Mentally exhausting’: Divers battle grief, frigid waters in DC recovery

Police boats combed the banks of the Potomac River on Friday as investigators sought clues into the mid-air collision that killed 67 people.

While D.C. is no longer experiencing an arctic winter blast, polar ocean diver Christine Dennison told NewsNation the conditions in the Potomac are still brutally cold.

“They're working in very cold water,” she said. “There’s only a certain amount of time that they'll keep teams in the water before their extremities get cold. They can't work as efficiently.”

No one survived the Wednesday night collision between the American Airlines passenger plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter. More than 40 bodies have been pulled from the river as the recovery effort continued Friday.

Divers are also navigating strong currents and large amounts of debris in the river.

“There's a very large debris field that is also hampered by currents, so there's a lot of movement in the water,” Dennison said. “Pieces of the plane — potentially body parts — are not necessarily where they were yesterday or this morning."

"So, they're bringing up and finding pieces, handing pieces to the forensics experts," she added.

Rescuers are also likely battling grief, said Dennison.

“They have feelings, they have emotions,” she continued. “This is very physical work. This is mentally exhausting, and it's emotionally difficult as well.”

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

Topics

Water recovery expert on D.C. plane crash investigation

Butch Hendrick is the president and founder of Lifeguard Systems, which offers training and equipment in water rescues, recoveries and forensic investigations. He joined CBS News to discuss ...
CBS News - 1d
Mets' Cohen: Alonso negotiations 'exhausting'

The Mets held their first winter event for fans in five years at Citi Field, and Pete Alonso was a notable absence.
ESPN - 6d
‘Never seems to end’: exhausted quake-hit Vanuatu rebuilds again

True cost and psychological toll of the December quake emerges as the Pacific country grapples with its third major disaster in two years. Last month in the small settlement of Mele Maat, just ...
The Guardian - Jan. 25
Deadly Hotel Fire at Turkish Ski Resort Stirs Grief and Outrage

Some had returned to the hotel year after year. Their deaths — amid dozens of others at the hotel — have stirred grief and outrage.
The New York Times - Jan. 22
The Surprising Grief of Having Your Home Survive a Wildfire

For people whose homes are spared in a wildfire while their neighbors lose everything, the road ahead can be isolating, plagued by feelings of guilt and shame.
The New York Times - Jan. 12
Low water supply causing ‘a real challenge’ in battling wildfires, says L.A. Fire Dept. Official

Capt. Erik Scott, Public Information Officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department, joins Meet the Press NOW with the latest on the fight against wildfires in Los Angeles County.
NBC News - Jan. 9
Elon Musk says all human data for AI training ‘exhausted’

Tech boss suggests move to self-learning synthetic data though some warn this could cause ‘model collapse’. Business live – latest updates Artificial intelligence companies have run out of ...
The Guardian - Jan. 9
'Peace within pain' - England's Jones on playing through grief

England centre Meg Jones says she is finding "peace in the pain" after suffering the loss of both parents in quick succession.
BBC News - Jan. 6
U.S. braces for frigid temperatures, snow

Pittsburgh is already seeing snow and freezing temperatures as most of the U.S. prepares for a blast of cold air that promises extreme weather conditions for many Americans. CBS News Philadelphia's ...
CBS News - Jan. 3