A couple who are skating trainers and world champions were among those aboard the US plane that crashed near Washington.
US Figure Skating has confirmed in a statement that members of their community were onboard the American Airlines 5342 flight, which departed from Wichita, Kansas. The plane was en route to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter.
A view of the American Airlines plane in the water after it collided in midair with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on January 30, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
The helicopter, carrying three military members, and the plane, with 60 passengers and four crew members, collided midair before crashing into the Potomac River on the night of Wednesday, January 29.
US Figure Skating stated that the athletes, coaches, and family members on board had been traveling home from the National Development Camp, which took place alongside the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
Press members work near the scene area after a regional plane collided in midair with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on January 30, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
The governing body also shared that Russian-born ice skating coaches and former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were traveling with the group of young skaters.
The married pair had lived in the US since at least 1998, dedicating their time to training young ice skaters. They achieved global recognition when they won the pairs figure skating world championship in 1994.
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov of Russia perform their pairs free skating routine during the World Figure Skating Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England, on March 8, 1995 | Source: Getty Images
Ludmila Velikova, the coach who played a key role in shaping Shishkova and Naumov’s skating careers from a young age, told the media that 14 skaters and trainers were among those on the flight. Velikova, who was speaking in St Petersburg, expressed relief that the couple’s son, Maxim, who had competed in Kansas, was not on the same flight.
US Figure Skating is now in mourning. They concluded in their statement, “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.”
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov of Russia in action in the pairs free program at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics on February 15, 1994 | Source: Getty Images
Officials have not disclosed specific numbers of skaters or released the names of those who were aboard the plane. However, the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, featured athletes competing in singles, pairs, and ice dance.
This year’s competition included all four 2024 US champions. These are Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, and the duo of Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea.
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On the other hand, sports analyst Christine Brennan has highlighted the significance of the National Development Camp in developing young skaters. She noted that many participants aboard the plane were seen as future contenders for major competitions, including the 2030 Olympic Games.
One of the participants, Spencer Lane was thrilled to have earned a spot at the National Development Camp, a goal he had pursued since first learning about the program. To celebrate, he shared a collage of photos and a video on Instagram, posing alongside fellow camp participants and expressing his excitement about the experience.
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Unfortunately, what he most desired has now turned into a tragedy. Just hours before the crash, Lane posted an eerie image on his Instagram story, seemingly taken from inside the ill-fated flight.
The photo, captured through the aircraft’s window, showed the plane’s wing mid-flight. A caption on the image indicated he was en route from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to Ronald Reagan National Airport.
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Authorities have yet to confirm the total number of casualties from the mid-air collision between the airliner and military helicopter but have suggested that the likelihood of survival is low.
However, DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly has shared that twenty-seven bodies have been recovered from the passenger jet, and one from the military helicopter. Donnelly added that the moment, search efforts have now transitioned to a recovery operation.