Various civilian, military, and police vessels reached the crash site and searched for survivors within minutes of the initial water impact, but found none, making TWA 800 the second-deadliest aircraft accident in United States history at that time.
Varios barcos civís, militares e da policía chegaron á zona do accidente e comezaron a buscar supervivintes aos poucos minutos do primeiro impacto coa auga, pero non atoparon ningún, facendo do TWA 800 o segundo peor accidente de aviación nos Estados Unidos nese tempo.