'Several Members' of U.S. Figure Skating Community Onboard American Airlines Plane That Crashed Over Washington, D.C.

Mar. 15, 2025

Several members of the U.S. Figure Skating community wereamong the 60 passengerstraveling on theAmerican Airlines plane that collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopterin Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

World figure skating champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were also reportedly on the flight.

American Airlines flight 5342 had departed Wichita, Kansas, before crashing into the military aircraft over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time, the FAA said in an initial statement to PEOPLE.

U.S Figure Skating confirmed members of their community were onboard the aircraft in a statement to PEOPLE.

“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.,” the Jan. 30 statement read.

Emergency vehicles and rescue crews gather along the Potomac River near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty

“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 governing body added.

Emergency responders in the Potomac River following the crash in Washington, D.C.Andrew Harnik/Getty

Andrew Harnik/Getty

The plane, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, had been traveling from Wichita at the time of the accident. The 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships had been held in the city from Jan. 20 until Jan. 26, the U.S. Figure Skatingwebsitestated.

1994 World Champion figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55, were also among those onboard the plane, reportedReutersandThe Guardian, citing theTASSand RIA news agencies in Russia.

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.Chris Cole/ALLSPORT

Chris Cole/ALLSPORT

Per TASS, Shishkova and Naumov won silver and bronze medals at the World Championships in pairs skating, as well as one silver and four bronze medals at the European Championships. They also “claimed victory at the International Skating Union Grand Prix Final for the 1995/96 season,” the news agency stated.

The couple, who were reportedly married, were thought to have lived in the U.S. since at least 1998 after retiring from their competitive careers. They helped to train young ice skaters, according toReuters.

A photo of reporters at Reagan National Airport.TING SHEN/AFP via Getty

TING SHEN/AFP via Getty

Ludmila Velikova, who trained Shishkova and Naumov when they were children, told Reuters that a group of 14 skaters and trainers had reportedly been on the plane at the time of the crash. She added that Shishkova and Naumov’s son Maxim, 23, was not on the same aircraft, despite previous reports.

“They were my favorite sports people. They were part of my first attempt at the world championships and became champions in 1994. They were talented and beautiful people,” Velikova said, per the news agency.

“Apart from anything else they were my children. Zhenya (Shishkova) trained with me from the age of 11 and Vladik (Naumov) from age 14. They were like my own children. What’s happened is awful. The best people have been taken away from us,” she added while speaking in Saint Petersburg.

According to the U.S. Figure Skatingwebsite, Maxim Naumov competed in the recent Wichita event. He’s previously represented the U.S. in singles skating.

PEOPLE also understands that American figure skater Ilia Malinin, 20, returned from the competition on Sunday, Jan. 26, but multiple young skaters were returning home at the time of the accident.

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According toCNN, the U.S Army Black Hawk helicopter had three soldiers onboard.

“We can confirm that the aircraft involved in tonight’s incident was an Army UH-60 helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia. We are working with local officials and will provide additional information once it becomes available,” a U.S. Army official told the outlet in a statement.

source: people.com