A pair of 16-year-old figure skaters, accompanied by their mothers and two Russian coaches, were part of the passengers aboard an airplane that collided with a helicopter above Washington DC, as confirmed by their Boston skating club.
The teenagers, identified as Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, were traveling with their mothers, Christine Lane and Jin Han, along with the experienced Russian coaches, Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, both former world-champion skaters.
US authorities have sadly reported no expected survivors from the crash, with 28 bodies recovered at the scene.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening at 9:00 PM local time when the plane, carrying 64 passengers and crew, collided with a US Army helicopter before plunging into the icy Potomac River.
Reports suggest that up to 15 individuals on the flight had connections to the world of figure skating, as shared by an unnamed source with Reuters news agency.
Amid the devastating news, the CEO of the Figure Skating Club of Boston, Doug Zeghibe, expressed deep sorrow for the losses, stating, Six is a horrific number for us," adding, "This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community.
Both Shishkova and Naumov, retired Russian pairs skaters and former world champions, tragically perished in the crash along with other passengers returning from a skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
The rescue operation, now a recovery effort, continues in the Potomac River where both aircraft remnants remain, with nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport temporarily suspending flights. The incident has brought back memories of the tragic loss of the 1961 US figure skating team in a plane crash in Belgium.