Jinna Han, 13-Year-Old Ice Skater Killed in D.C. Plane Crash, Dazzles in Recently Surfaced Competition Footage

Mar. 15, 2025

Jinna Han at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final.Photo:U.S. Figure Skating/YouTube

U.S. Figure Skating/YouTube

American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday, Jan. 29.There were 14 U.S. figure skaters onboard the passenger plane, according to The Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe, including Jinna Han.PEOPLE spoke with members of the skating community who knew the 13-year-old victim.Jinna Han is being remembered for her bright light on and off the ice.The 13-year-old figure skater was one of 64 passengers killed inthe tragic Wednesday, Jan. 29 midair collisionbetween American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard, perCNN.Jinna has been a member of The Skating Club of Boston since 2020, CEO Doug Zeghibe said in a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 30.Shewas identified as one of the 14 U.S. figure skaters onboard the passenger plane. In addition to Jinna,five other victims were members of The Skating Club of Boston, including her mom, Jin Han; teenSpencer Laneand his mother, Christine Lane; andcoaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were 1994 world figure skating champions representing Russia.Aclipof Jinna performing her free skate at the 2025 Eastern Sectionals, her last major competition, has since resurfaced.Initially posted on YouTube in November, the video shows the teenager smiling from ear to ear as she competes in a sparkly pink dress while performing many tricks, including six triple jumps.She placedfourthin the free skate and fourth overall, earning a berth to the National High-Performance Development Team that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.PEOPLE spoke with Team USA Skaters who knew Jinna at The Skating Club of Boston on Thursday.“Jinna has an amazing smile. Every time you would say her name, she would immediately give you a smile and [say hello] in her high voice,” Misha Mitrofanov, 27, told PEOPLE.Jinna Han competes at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final.U.S. Figure Skating/YouTubeWhen asked about Jinna and Spencer’s skating abilities, Jimmy Ma, 29, said: “They are absolutely phenomenal. At 13 years old, I couldn’t do anything even close [to Han’s level].“OlympianMirai Nagasualso shared with PEOPLE thatJinna was one of the victims she knew.“This loss feels especially personal because of my connection to some of the families,” she said. “Jinna [Han] was an incredibly talented skater who regularly interacted with my son, Taiga.“Fellow OlympianNancy Kerrigan, whose home club is The Skating Club of Boston, told PEOPLE that the situation was “heart-wrenching.““Everybody who died is somebody’s somebody,” she said.Jinna Han appears in the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final.U.S. Figure Skating/YouTubeIn a statement to PEOPLE, U.S. Figure Skatingconfirmed that “several members” of their community were onboard the aircraft.“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 statement said.Other community members includedInna Volyanskaya, 59, a former pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union, according toReuters, citing Russian news agency TASS, Volyanskaya was a coach for the team, per the Washington Figure Skating Club’swebsite.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.SistersEverly and Alydia Livingstonare also among the victims who were skaters.

Jinna Han is being remembered for her bright light on and off the ice.

The 13-year-old figure skater was one of 64 passengers killed inthe tragic Wednesday, Jan. 29 midair collisionbetween American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard, perCNN.

Jinna has been a member of The Skating Club of Boston since 2020, CEO Doug Zeghibe said in a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 30.

Shewas identified as one of the 14 U.S. figure skaters onboard the passenger plane. In addition to Jinna,five other victims were members of The Skating Club of Boston, including her mom, Jin Han; teenSpencer Laneand his mother, Christine Lane; andcoaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were 1994 world figure skating champions representing Russia.

Aclipof Jinna performing her free skate at the 2025 Eastern Sectionals, her last major competition, has since resurfaced.

Initially posted on YouTube in November, the video shows the teenager smiling from ear to ear as she competes in a sparkly pink dress while performing many tricks, including six triple jumps.

She placedfourthin the free skate and fourth overall, earning a berth to the National High-Performance Development Team that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

PEOPLE spoke with Team USA Skaters who knew Jinna at The Skating Club of Boston on Thursday.

“Jinna has an amazing smile. Every time you would say her name, she would immediately give you a smile and [say hello] in her high voice,” Misha Mitrofanov, 27, told PEOPLE.

Jinna Han competes at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final.U.S. Figure Skating/YouTube

When asked about Jinna and Spencer’s skating abilities, Jimmy Ma, 29, said: “They are absolutely phenomenal. At 13 years old, I couldn’t do anything even close [to Han’s level].”

OlympianMirai Nagasualso shared with PEOPLE thatJinna was one of the victims she knew.

“This loss feels especially personal because of my connection to some of the families,” she said. “Jinna [Han] was an incredibly talented skater who regularly interacted with my son, Taiga.”

Fellow OlympianNancy Kerrigan, whose home club is The Skating Club of Boston, told PEOPLE that the situation was “heart-wrenching.”

“Everybody who died is somebody’s somebody,” she said.

Jinna Han appears in the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final.U.S. Figure Skating/YouTube

In a statement to PEOPLE, U.S. Figure Skatingconfirmed that “several members” of their community were onboard the aircraft.

“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 statement said.

Other community members includedInna Volyanskaya, 59, a former pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union, according toReuters, citing Russian news agency TASS, Volyanskaya was a coach for the team, per the Washington Figure Skating Club’swebsite.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

SistersEverly and Alydia Livingstonare also among the victims who were skaters.

source: people.com