Now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will focus on retrieving the mangled helicopter, a crucial component in federal authorities' probe as they look to confirm data related to its altitude at the time of the collision,

Sixty-four people aboard a commercial airliner died Wednesday after it collided with a military helicopter midair near Reagan Washington National Airport. Both the American Eagle jet and Army Black Hawk are in the Potomac River.

He indicated 27 bodies had been recovered from the airplane, and one from the helicopter.