Fourteen members of the figure skating community were aboard an American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday, authorities confirmed Thursday.
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The flight, which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was attempting to land when the collision occurred. The Army helicopter, which had three soldiers on board, was conducting a training flight. Washington fire chief John Donnelly said that no survivors are believed to have been found, and the operation had transitioned into a recovery effort.
Among those confirmed dead were six members of the Skating Club of Boston, including two teenagers, Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, both talented skaters. Lane, who was the 2025 intermediate Eastern Sectionals champion, had gained a large following on social media, where he had recently shared a video of his final moments at a developmental camp in Wichita. Also killed were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former Olympic competitors and world champions in pairs skating, who had been coaching at the Skating Club of Boston.
Alexandr Kirsanov, a coach, and two young skaters under his tutelage were also on the flight. Kirsanov's wife, Natalya Gudin, said she had spoken with her husband before his departure and is now left grieving the loss of her family and students.
The crash, which occurred just before 9 p.m. ET, is still under investigation. Federal Aviation Administration officials stated that weather conditions were clear, and the regional jet from Wichita was making a routine approach to land when it collided with the helicopter.
U.S. Figure Skating, along with other organizations in the figure skating community, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said in a statement.
The Skating Club of Boston, one of the world's most prestigious, is scheduled to host the 2025 World Championships in March. Despite the tragedy, the club's executive director, Doug Zeghibe, affirmed that the club will proceed with plans for the event, stating that the skating community's resilience would guide them through this painful time.
The crash echoes a similar tragedy from 1961 when a plane carrying the U.S. figure skating team en route to the World Championships in Prague crashed, killing all 18 members aboard. The legacy of that tragedy has lingered in the sport for decades.
Authorities are still investigating the precise cause of the collision, including communications between the aircraft and air traffic controllers in the minutes leading up to the crash.
"We grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly," President Donald Trump said Thursday. "We will find out how this disaster occurred and will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."
