A devastating midair collision involving an American Airlines regional passenger plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, DC, has left no survivors, with several US figure skaters and former Russian world champions among the victims. The incident occurred late on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, as the plane was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia.
The United States Figure Skating organization confirmed on Thursday that athletes, coaches, and family members returning from the National Development Camp in Kansas were on board the ill-fated flight. The camp was held in conjunction with the US Figure Skating Championships.
“We are heartbroken by this unimaginable tragedy and extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those lost,” the organization said in a statement. Officials have not yet released an official death toll but have indicated that there are likely no survivors.
Among the passengers were Russian ice-skating coaches and former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs figure skating world championship in 1994. Russian state media reported that their son, Maxim, also a skater, may have been on the plane. Additionally, Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet Union skater and coach at the Washington Figure Skating Club, was reported to have been on board.
The Kremlin expressed its condolences to the families of the Russian citizens who perished in the crash.
The collision occurred near the Potomac River, close to Reagan Washington National Airport. Both the American Airlines jet, carrying 64 passengers and crew, and the US Army helicopter crashed into the river following the midair impact.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the global figure skating community, with tributes pouring in for the victims. Investigations into the cause of the collision are ongoing.
- Incident: Midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter.
- Location: Near Reagan Washington National Airport, Virginia.
- Casualties: All 64 passengers and crew on the plane, along with helicopter occupants, presumed dead.
- Victims: US figure skaters, coaches, family members, and former Russian world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
- Context: Passengers were returning from the National Development Camp in Kansas.