U.S. Figure Skating Team Members Were Confirmed On Board in Tragic Collision Near D.C.

An unfortunate event took place on Wednesday evening, January 29, near Washington, D.C. A collision occurred between an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter. Among the passengers on the American Airlines Flight 5342 were multiple members of the U.S. Figure Skating team. The flight was on its way from Wichita, Kansas, approaching its destination at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, when the incident happened around 9 PM local time. Both the aircraft and the helicopter crashed into the Potomac River following the impact. First responders rushed to the scene to aid in rescue and recovery efforts, but the situation turned bleak quickly.

Recovery Efforts and Official Response

By Thursday morning, over 30 bodies had been recovered, according to an update from NBC 4 in Washington, D.C. Despite the intensive recovery efforts, the outlook was grim. D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly stated,

“At this point, we don’t believe there are survivors from this accident.”

The flight had 64 people on board, while the helicopter had three individuals.

Presidential Address and U.S. Figure Skating Statement

President Trump addressed the tragic incident, acknowledging the quick response of emergency teams. He said:

“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”

As the recovery operation continued, the identities of all the victims weren’t fully known, but the U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that several members of its team were involved. Their statement, cited by PEOPLE, expressed their deep sorrow:

“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C. 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. 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.”

Impact on the Skating Community

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, Russian figure skating world champions, were reportedly on the flight as well. Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, confirmed that six individuals connected with the club were aboard the plane. This included two skaters, their mothers, and two coaches.

Zeghibe identified the skaters as 16-year-olds Spencer Lane and Jinna Hahn. Their mothers were Molly Lane and Jin Hahn, while the coaches were the renowned Russian skating champions Naumov and Shishkova. Zeghibe also shared his feelings on the loss, saying, “Six is a horrific number for us. But we’re fortunate and grateful it wasn’t more than six. This will have long, reaching impacts for our skating community,” as reported by CBS News.