U.S. figure skaters and coaches were among the passengers onboard a plane that crashed near Washington, D.C. late Wednesday night. The American Airlines plane, American Eagle Flight 5342, collided with an Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River.
U.S. Figure Skating said the following in a statement, according to multiple news outlets.
"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.
"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts."
According to the Associated Press, 14 members of the skating community were killed in the crash, including a couple of young skaters in Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, as well as 1994 pairs world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov of Russia, who were coaching at a historic Boston skating club.
The group was returning from a national development camp for promising young skaters following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kan., from Jan. 20 to 26.
Former Russian figure skaters and current coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, winners of the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships, were also believed to be aboard the plane, according to Russian media outlets.
Three soldiers were reportedly on board the helicopter, according to CBS News.
U.S. figure skating legends Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir opened part of Thursday's European Figure Skating Championships broadcast with a tribute to the victims of the crash.
"As we come on the air for European Figure Skating Championships, we are all hurting today," Weir said. "We were absolutely heartbroken by the news that several members of our skating community were among those lost in the tragic plane crash in Washington D.C. last night."
"My heart is completely broken for our skating community, their families and loved ones," an emotional Lipinski said. "My heart is with all the families affected and that's the part I have no words for. ... And I know our skating community will never be the same but we will always remember them."
The plane, carrying about 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with the helicopter while attempting to land. Reagan National Airport has grounded all nearby flights. An overnight search-and-rescue operation of the Potomac River was pivoted to recovery operations, as officials believe all passengers and crew aboard American Eagle Flight 5342 were killed, according to The Washington Post.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as U.S. Figure Skaters Were on Plane that Crashed in Washington, D.C..
