A U.S. Figure skating community is mourning the loss of life after a plane carrying several skaters and coaches collided with a helicopter over Washington, D.C. The crash killed fourteen U.S. figure skaters, including members of The Skating Club of Boston. Officials believe there are no survivors.
Fourteen U.S. figure skaters, including six members of The Skating Club of Boston, were on board the American Airlines plane that collided with a U.S. Army helicopter on Wednesday, January 29, according to Doug Zeghibe, CEO of The Skating Club of Boston. The tragic incident occurred over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after departing from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA stated that the plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members.
Officials believe there are no survivors. The U.S. Figure Skating team confirmed to PEOPLE that several members of their skating community were on board Flight 5342. These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. The victims from The Skating Club of Boston have been identified as two teens, Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, their mothers, Molly Lane and Jin Han, and two coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former Russian world champions. Pairs figure skating world champions Evgenia Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55, who won the title in 1994, were also among those on board. The couple, who were married, were believed to have lived in the U.S. since at least 1998 after retiring from their competitive careers. Another victim identified was Inna Volyanskaya, 59, a former pair skater who represented the Soviet Union. Doug Zeghibe, tearfully addressing the press conference, described the close-knit group within The Skating Club of Boston, stating, 'They're here at our facility in Norwood six, sometimes seven days a week. It's a close, tight bond,' he said. 'So I think for all of us, we have lost family.' U.S. Figure Skating released a statement expressing their devastation, saying, 'We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.' The 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships had been held in Wichita from January 20 to January 26, and many of the skaters involved in the crash were returning from the event.
FIGURESTATERS CRASH PLANE WASHINGTON D.C. FATALITIES U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US figure skaters among victims in tragic midair crash near DC's Reagan AirportFigure skating athletes and their coaches were among the passengers on the American Airlines plane that collided with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C.
Read more »
US figure skaters among victims in tragic midair crash near DC's Reagan AirportFigure skating athletes and their coaches were among the passengers on the American Airlines plane that collided with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C.
Read more »
Tragic Collision: Figure Skaters and Coaches Perish in Potomac River CrashA commercial airliner and an Army helicopter collided near Washington D.C., resulting in the deaths of all passengers and crew. Among the victims were prominent Russian figure skating coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, and multiple skaters returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Read more »
Figure Skaters Among Victims in Tragic Plane Crash Near Washington, D.C.A devastating plane crash near Washington, D.C., claimed the lives of numerous individuals, including several figure skaters, their families, friends, and coaches. The collision occurred as the aircraft was approaching Reagan National Airport, impacting a Black Hawk helicopter and resulting in no survivors. The International Skating Union expressed its profound grief and offered condolences to the affected families.
Read more »
US figure skaters among victims in tragic midair crash near DC's Reagan AirportFigure skating athletes and their coaches were among the passengers on the American Airlines plane that collided with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C.
Read more »
Tragic Plane and Helicopter Crash Claims Lives of Six Figure Skating Club MembersA devastating collision at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday claimed the lives of six members of The Skating Club of Boston, including renowned figure skaters and coaches.
Read more »