NEW YORK (PIX11) – Among the victims of Wednesday’s plane crash near Washington were two teenage figure skaters, their parents and coaches, according to The Skating Club of Boston.
The club, which had sent athletes to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, released the names of its skaters on the plane. Everyone onboard was feared dead, officials said Thursday.
Among the victims are figure skaters Jinna Han and her mother Jin Han, athlete Spencer Lane and his mother Christine Lane, and former championship skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, according to the club.
"Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy. Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together," said the club in a statement. "Everyone is like family."
In all, 14 of the victims were coming back from a national development camp following the U.S. Championships in Wichita, Kansas, Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe said.
In a statement, U.S. Figure Skating said "several members" of their skating community were on the plane but did not specify how many or who.
Shishkova and Naumov were married and won a 1994 world championship in pairs figure skating. They both have been coaching figure skating since the late 90s. The skaters competed for Russia in the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Olympics, according to the Skating Club of Boston.
Community members took to Instagram to share their condolences.
"[Skating Club of Boston] is made by its members, and it's been the honor of a lifetime to be part of this family," said Lindsay Want, a Team USA figure skater. "I'll remember & skate in memory for the rest of my life."
Two-time U.S. champion Amber Glenn also expressed shock at the crash.
“I’m in complete shock. I’m sorry, I don’t even know what to say. Young skaters, coaches, parents, so many bright lights in our community. My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones,” she said.
A jet with 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., sending the two aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River. At least 28 bodies had been pulled from the river’s icy waters as of mid-morning.
This story comprises reporting from the Associated Press.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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