As details continue to trickle out about a deadly crash between a military helicopter and an American Airlines jet, some of the passengers involved have begun to be identified.
In a statement reported by Fox News, U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that “several members of our skating community,” including “athletes, coaches, and family members,” were aboard the plane.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
According to Reuters, Russian figure skaters Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who claimed the world championship about three decades ago, were also passengers:
Shishkova and Naumov, who were married to each other, won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and had reportedly lived in the United States since at least 1998, where they trained young ice skaters.
Their son Maxim, who competed for the United States in singles, was also feared to have been on board the plane, Russia’s TASS and RIA news agencies reported. He had been competing at the U.S. figure skating championships in Wichita, Kansas from Jan. 20-26, according to the event’s website.The couple were reported to have been returning from the competition and travelling with a group of young skaters. Russia’s Mash news outlet published a list of 13 skaters, many of them the children of Russian emigres to the United States, who it said were believed to have been on the plane.
Here are some of the latest updates in the developing story:
We are deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA. We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders.
Praying for the victims and first responders.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 30, 2025
Latest below. Absolutely tragic. Search and rescue efforts still ongoing. Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families.
Investigation launched immediately by Army & DoD. pic.twitter.com/WdUnYV4UJz
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 30, 2025
🚨 #BREAKING: The military Blackhawk that crashed into an American Airlines flight in Washington, DC was reportedly “FLYING DARK,” per ADSBexchange
The chopper was NOT broadcasting an ADSB signal at the time.
It has just been found submerged in the Potomac River, and first… pic.twitter.com/Ei74STsV1T
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 30, 2025
The Hill provided some additional details about the crash near Reagan National Airport:
The regional jet collided in mid-air with the helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at the airport around 9 p.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement to The Hill. The agency said it will investigate the incident alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
An Army UH-60 helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was the helicopter involved in the crash, the Army confirmed in a statement to The Hill.
The helicopter was on a “routine training flight,” Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media chief Heather Chairez said in a statement. It belonged to Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir.
In a X post, the Washington D.C. police department said a multi-agency response is underway.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, along with police and fire officials, said in an early Thursday morning press conference that both aircraft were in the water. The helicopter was carrying three people, they said.
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