A tragic incident occurred late Wednesday when an American Airlines aircraft collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter, resulting in the loss of lives, including teenage figure skaters returning from a national competition alongside their mothers and coaches, as well as a group of steamfitters from the Washington, D.C. area.
The ill-fated flight had 60 passengers and four crew members onboard at the time of the accident over the Potomac River, leading to the belief that everyone on both the jet and helicopter perished during the collision. On Thursday, authorities initiated a search for remains while communities mourned this significant loss. Local skating organizations in both Philadelphia and Washington also reported that some of their young athletes were among the passengers.
“Many of us are experiencing profound grief and disbelief,” commented Adam Blake, a choreographer from Boston associated with Disney on Ice, who knew some of the individuals involved from the Skating Club of Boston.
Blake expressed, “My heart aches tenfold,” reflecting the widespread sorrow in the skating community. The young athletes were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships that concluded recently in Wichita, Kansas. A vigil took place in the Wichita city council chambers, led by local faith leaders.
Rev. Pamela Hughes Mason from St. Paul AME Church voiced, “The only way we can manage through this tragedy is by uniting as a community.” According to Sean O’Reilly, manager of the Wichita Skating Center, the recent championships had fostered a “groundswell of positivity,” and he felt devastated to hear that some skaters lost their lives in the tragedy.
In response to this disaster, American Airlines has established a hotline and centers in both Washington and Wichita for those seeking information about family members who may have been on the flight. The hotline number is 1-800-679-8215.
Specific details have begun to emerge about the identified victims of the crash. From the Skating Club of Boston, Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were among those who perished, along with their mothers and their coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, as stated by Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, during a news briefing on Thursday.
Han and Lane were returning home after participating in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Lane, approximately 16 years of age, along with Han, was accompanied by their mothers, Jin Han and Christine Lane. Zeghibe reminisced about Han, stating, “We witnessed Jinna’s growth from a young child to a remarkably mature 13-year-old, who was a skilled performer and competitor, as well as an exceptional person off the ice.”
Lane, a resident of Barrington, Rhode Island, had performed in his first professional show in December with Joy Skate Productions. Elin Schran, his coach, reflected on Lane’s transformation, noting, “He was nervous at first, but after the show, he was beaming, having formed a connection with the audience.”
The Lane family paid tribute to Christine Lane for her creative endeavors and her dedication to her children. They stated, “Christine was a beacon of creativity, engaging in various artistic pursuits, and passionate about being a mother to Spencer and Milo.”
Coaches Shishkova and Naumov had previously won the pairs championship at the 1994 World Championships in Chiba, Japan, and had also represented their country in two Olympic Games. Their son, Maxim Naumov, a competitive skater for the U.S., was not on the ill-fated flight.
Additionally, reports emerged of three students from Fairfax County, Virginia along with six parents being on board the flight, as noted by Superintendent Michelle Reid in a communication to families. She refrained from naming the individuals but confirmed that the students were from various schools, including current and former district staff among the parents.
In Loudoun County, a coach from a local skating club was also confirmed dead in the incident, according to Rep. Suhas Subramanyam. The skating community at the Ashburn Ice House stated that it had been deeply affected by the tragedy, although they did not disclose further information about the victims.
Among the deceased were also four steamfitters, members of a United Association local union in Maryland. Union representatives, in a social media statement, expressed their commitment to supporting the families of the lost members as they gathered more information in the ensuing days.
As for the helicopter crew, the remains of all three soldiers have been recovered and will be transferred to Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the dignified handling of their remains. The identities of the crew have yet to be disclosed while officials continue to notify the families. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared that the soldiers were engaged in a routine proficiency training exercise at the time of the crash and described the crew as “fairly experienced.”
