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U.S. Figure Skating announced that American Airlines Flight 5342 was carrying several of its athletes when it crashed into the Potomac River.
The organization provided a statement to news outlet WUSA9 on Thursday, January 30. “U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.” the statement read. “These athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
There were reportedly 60 passengers and four crew members on Flight 5342, which departed from Kansas on Wednesday, January 29. The names of the athletes and coaches involved in the crash were not immediately revealed.
News broke late Wednesday night that an airplane crashed into an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. and fell into the Potomac River while attempting to land. WUSA9 reported that “more than 300 emergency crews” arrived to the scene to conduct a search and rescue operation. Divers recovered more than a dozen bodies from the water.
According to an Army official, three soldiers were on the helicopter at the time of the incident. A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that there were multiple fatalities, but the exact number of victims is unknown.
The International Skating Union issued its own statement following the crash, noting that it was “deeply shocked by the tragic accident.” (It was reported that two Russian skaters, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were also on the plane.)
“We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” the organization noted, per ESPN. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together. We remain in close contact with U.S. Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time.”
The 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships took place in Wichita from January 20 to January 26, including individual and pairs events, per the U.S. Figure Skating website. A reception was also held to mark the induction of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame’s class of 2025.
