but did not make any attempts to resuscitate victims who appeared drowned or lacked vital signs because they believed that they could not be revived because they had succumbed to the cold salt water. An estimated (by the authorities who attended the scene of the crash) 15 ambulances responded to the accident site, all of which were used to transport the injured to hospitals, and that 40 additional ambulances were available near the site of the crash, but were not needed. The report described the emergency response as "effective and contributed to the survivability of the airplane's occupants. However, the response by the emergency medical services personnel was inadequately coordinated, and the ambulance response times to the hospitals were excessive." The final report read: ... a basic principle of triage is to treat victims having the most life-threatening injuries first with available medical resources and to utilize limited medical personnel in a manner that will provide maximum effectiveness. However, the Safety Board is also aware that in recent years a number of victims of cold-water drowning have been successfully resuscitated. They survived after periods under water, including sea water, as long as one hour or more. In view of these facts, the Safety Board believes that all emergency-response organizations should review their emergency plans to include contingencies for applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques as soon as a sufficient number of trained personnel arrive to perform CPR, even during mass casualty/triage incidents, regardless of whether vital signs are present, especially if cold-water immersion/near drowning is involved and where traumatic injuries do not indicate death. Investigation The NTSB sent a team to the crash site to investigate the accident. They concluded that, unknown to the crew, ice had collected on the wings, which disrupted airflow and reduced lift.The inquiry lasted just under one year. Buildup of ice The investigators suggested multiple reasons why the jet was unable to gain lift, but the accident report states no evidence was found to suggest corrosion on the wings. The airplane's flight control systems were also examined and revealed no failure prior to impact. The report reads, "the evidence did not support improper wing configuration, airframe or system defects, or deployment of the speed brakes as reasons for the loss of aerodynamic efficiency." The investigators also stated that the takeoff roll of the jet was not abnormal. The board came to the conclusion that ice had