Several Skaters, Coaches, and Family Members Among Those On Board Plane That Crashed into Potomac River
On Wednesday evening, a tragic plane crash occurred above Washington DC when an aircraft collided mid-air with a US Army helicopter. Among the 64 passengers and crew on board was a group closely tied to the figure skating community.
The victims included 16-year-old skaters Spencer Lane and Jinna Hahn, their mothers Christine Lane and Jin Hahn, as well as Russian coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov—both former world champions. The crash claimed the lives of all on board, with US officials stating they do not expect any survivors. At least 28 bodies have been recovered from the scene, which fell into the icy Potomac River after the collision.
It is believed that up to 15 people on the flight may have had connections to the figure skating world, a source told Reuters. The US Figure Skating Association confirmed that “several members of our skating community” were aboard the ill-fated flight, though they have not yet disclosed full details. Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Figure Skating Club of Boston, where some of the victims trained, described the loss as “horrific” and said, “This will have long, reaching impacts for our skating community.”
The plane was returning from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the US National Figure Skating Championships, which were held from January 20-26. During this time, a development camp for young skaters was also conducted.
The two Russian coaches, Shishkova and Naumov, were renowned for their accomplishments in pairs skating, having won the world championships in 1994 and competing in the Olympics. After retiring from competitive skating, they became well-respected coaches in the US. Also on the plane was Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet skater, according to Russian news agency Tass.
Russian officials confirmed the presence of their citizens on the plane, following media reports of the coaches’ names. US Figure Skating added that their members were among those lost in the crash.
As rescue teams continue their search in the freezing waters, the operation has shifted to recovery efforts. Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport grounded flights immediately after the incident. This crash evokes memories of the 1961 tragedy in Belgium, where the entire US figure skating team was lost in a similar crash en route to Prague.
