The Brief
WASHINGTON - Officials say no survivors are expected after an American Airlines flight with 64 people onboard collided mid-air with a military helicopter Wednesday evening. 28 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage, according to officials.
Figure skaters aboard American Airlines flight
14 members of the skating community, including six passengers from the Skating Club Boston, are confirmed to have been aboard the flight: from Wichita to Reagan Airport Wednesday evening, according to Doug Zeghibe, the club’s executive director. The skaters were returning from the National Development Camp that was held in connection with the recent U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. They were flying into DCA as part of a connecting route to Boston. Two coaches, two young skaters and their mothers were among those onboard, according to Zeghibe. Spencer Lane was a "incredibly talented" skater, according to Zeghibe. Lane "has not been skating that long and just rocketing to the top of the sport," said Zeghibe. Jinna Han and her mother Jin Han were on the American Airlines flight, according to Zeghibe.
Russian figure skaters among DC plane crash passengers
Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and her husband Vadim Naumov were also among those on board, according to Russian media. The couple won the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994 and narrowly missed out on Olympic medals that year at the Lillehammer Games before moving to the U.S. and coaching generations of young skaters in New England. They joined Skating Club Boston in 2017 as coaches. Their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S. and was not on board the flight. ""He had no reason to stay at the national development camp," Zeghibe said. "Both of his parents were with him while he was competing. It’s well-known Mom was always too nervous to watch him skate. But his dad was with him, and Dad was in the ‘kiss-and-cry’ sharing his great performance." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Thursday morning that the pair had been on board the plane, and the Skating Club of Boston, where they coached, said Shishkova and Naumov had been killed. Inna Volyanskaya, a former skater who competed for the pre-1991 Soviet Union, was also reported to have been on board the plane. "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," Zeghibe said. "Folks are just stunned by this. I you know, my phone is just blowing up with emails and texts of folks, you know, offering to support in any way they can, expressing condolences," said Zeghibe. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts," U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. Ross Lansel, an ice skating coach in Northern Virginia, spoke to FOX 5 DC and confirmed that some skaters were on the plane that crashed because they were coming from a figure skating opportunity. Among those on the plane was his ex-wife and a student of hers. Zeghibe told reporters Thursday that the world of figure skating experienced a similar tragedy decades ago. "In 1961, the entire world team of U.S. figure skating and route to the world Championships in Prague was lost in a plane crash in Belgium. Almost half of everybody on board that plane were from this club," said Zeghibe. "It had long, long reaching implications for the skating club and for the sport in this country, because when you lose coaches like this, you lose the future of the sport as well."
3 soldiers in helicopter crash identified
The Associated Press reports that the remains of the soldiers will be at Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. That office coordinates the dignified transfer of fallen service members. Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, has been identified as one of the pilots on the military helicopter, according to FOX 13 Tampa. First Officer Samuel Lilley also perished in the crash, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. FOX News confirmed the crew chief of the Blackhawk helicopter has been identified as Ryan O'Hara. The three soldiers were doing an annual night proficiency training flight, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, adding they were a "fairly experienced crew."
Four Maryland steamfitters killed
Those killed also included four steamfitters, all members of a United Association union local in suburban Maryland, union leaders said in a social media post Thursday. "Our focus now is on providing support and care to the families of our Brothers as we continue to gather more information in the coming days," said the post by UA General President Mark McManus and Chris Madello, the business manager of Local 602.
Former Loudoun County students among crash passengers
Loudoun County Public Schools issued a statement Thursday morning, saying that multiple victims of the crash were former LCPS students. "Our hearts are heavy as we process the devastating news of last night’s tragic plane crash over the Potomac River involving an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter. This unimaginable loss has deeply affected our community, and with great sorrow, we have learned that multiple victims were former LCPS students. Many other Loudoun families have also been impacted, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those grieving in the wake of this tragedy," said LCPS Superintendent Aaron Spence.
Read the full statement here. Fairfax County Public Schools issued a statement Thursday morning, saying that members of the FCPS family were lost in the plane crash Wednesday night. "It continues to be a very difficult day for our FCPS family. Our hearts are broken as we learn that we have lost members of our FCPS family in the tragic accident at Reagan National Airport last night. I invite you to join me in praying for our families, friends, and colleagues, that we know have lost loved ones in this tragic accident," said FCPS Superintendent Michelle C. Reid. Read the full statement here. Did anyone survive the plane crash in DC?
Officials Thursday morning shared that they believed there would be no survivors from the crash. "We don’t think there are any survivors from this accident," said DC Fire and EMS chief John Donnelly.
