A commercial American Airlines flight crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night after a midair collision with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. According to The Wall Street Journal, the plane was carrying 64 passengers, and on Thursday, President Trump confirmed in a press briefing that there were no survivors. While the full passenger list has not yet been released, the New York Times reports that a number of U.S. and Russian figure skaters were aboard the flight, traveling from a skate camp in Wichita, Kansas. At least 28 bodies, including all three of the servicemen aboard the helicopter, have been recovered so far, per the Associated Press.
U.S. Figure Skating told the Times that the skaters, coaches, and their families had just completed a training camp for top skaters. The Skating Club of Boston told CBS that six of its members were among the victims, including athletes Jinna Han and Spencer Lane; their mothers, Jin Han and Christine Lane; and married skating coaches and former world champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” Alex Schauffler, the communications director for U.S. Figure Skating, said in a statement.
“We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those onboard,” the International Skating Union said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together.”
Per The Wall Street Journal, Wednesday’s crash marks “the most fatal aviation disaster” in the U.S. in 23 years.
This post has been updated.