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By Isabel van Brugen and Joshua Rhett Miller
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Figure skaters and coaches were among those killed when an American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 people collided with a military helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., late Wednesday.
U.S. Figure Skating, the sport's governing body in the U.S., confirmed in a statement that "several members of our skating community" were on the American Airlines regional jet that collided with an Army Black Hawk over the Potomac River. At least three Russian figure skaters were reportedly among the victims.
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What To Know
American Airlines Flight 5342 was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with an Army helicopter en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., at about 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Three U.S. Army soldiers were aboard the military helicopter, which was taking part in a training flight, U.S. officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said, Reuters reported.
U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement released early Thursday that athletes, coaches and their family members aboard the flight were returning home from the National Development Camp, which was held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
Tass, Russia's state-run news agency, reported early Thursday that at least three Russian figure skaters were on the crashed jet, including former Russian champions Vadim Naumov, 55, and Evgenia Shishkova, 52, who won the pairs title at the 1994 World Championships.
The news agency said the pair had lived in the U.S. since 1998, where they had worked as coaches.
The couple's 23-year-old son, Maxim Naumov, a U.S. junior national champion in 2020, was not on the plane, Skating Club of Boston officials told reporters early Thursday.
Inna Volyanskaya, 58, a former pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union in the 80s, was reported to have been on board the crashed jet, Tass said.
"On board the crashed plane was former Russian figure skating coach Inna Volyanskaya," an unnamed source told Tass.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry for additional comment.
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The Skating Club of Boston confirmed early Thursday six of its members were among the victims, including coaches Naumov and Shishkova, skaters Jinna Han, 15, and Spencer Lane, 16, and two of their parents, Jin Han and Christine Lane.
"Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy," Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe said in a statement. "Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family ... We are devastated and completely at a loss for words."
Lane's father, Douglas Lane, said he and his wife Christine adopted their two sons, Spencer and Milo, from South Korea.
"Whether he was in his home club in Boston, [Spencer] was just loved by everyone," Douglas told WPRI. "From adults running the club to smaller skaters, to the people that are competing for a shot at the Olympics, they all adored him."
Spencer, who previously attended Barrington High School in Rhode Island, was a "force of nature," Lane said.
Authorities believe 67 people, including three aboard the Army helicopter, died in the crash. At least 30 bodies have been recovered.
Hamaad Raza, who arrived at Reagan National Airport late Wednesday to pick up his wife, identified Asra Hussain, 26, as one of the passengers on the flight when reached early Thursday.
"We've got a lot of family coming in, and um, just going to be with them," Hussain told Newsweek before ending a brief phone call.
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Jonathan Campos, 34, was the primary pilot of American Airlines Flight 5342, CNN reported Thursday.
Sam Lilley, the second pilot in command, started his flight training in 2019 and was engaged to be married this fall, his father told Fox 5 Atlanta.
"This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life," Timothy Lilley, a former Army helicopter pilot, told the station.
Sam Lilley, 28, had ties to Savannah, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, records show.
In a Facebook post early Thursday, Lilley said he was "so proud" when his son became a pilot.
"Now it hurts so bad I can't even cry myself to sleep," Lilley wrote. "I know I'll see him again but my heart is breaking. He was doing great in his career and his personal life. He was engaged to get married in the fall."
Lilley was the first officer, or second pilot in command, on the flight, his father said.
"It is so devastating to lose someone that is loved so much," Lilley wrote in the post.
A North Carolina woman also died in the crash, according to an online fundraiser created Thursday.
Wendy Jo Shaffer, of Charlotte, is survived by her husband Nathan and two sons, ages 3 and 1.
"Her love, kindness, and unwavering spirit touched everyone who knew her, and her absence leaves a void that can never be filled," an online fundraiser reads.
Three students and six parents from Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia also died in the crash, officials confirmed.
"Two of the parents were current or former FCPS staff members," district officials said in a statement. "Multiplying the grief are the siblings, spouses, relatives, friends and colleagues who have lost loved ones."
None of the victims were immediately identified by the district.
According to the Delaware News Journal, a Delaware coach and at least two members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club were on the flight from Wichita.
Alexandr "Sasha" Kirsanov, who coached Angela Yang and Sean Kay, was killed on the flight with his students. The newspaper said Kirsanov's wife, Natalie Gudin, confirmed the news as she spoke with an Eastern European accent.
"We always use American Airlines when we go to competition," Gudin told the Delaware News Journal. "This time they go without me, and all of them are gone."
The New York Times reported Thursday night that two Maryland men died while returning from a hunting trip in Kansas — Michael Stovall, 42, and Jesse Pitcher, 30.
"It was a boys' trip," said Shawna Slarb, Stovall's cousin, told the Times. "They were there on a duck hunt."
What People Are Saying
U.S. Figure Skating in a statement: "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. These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available."
Donald Trump on Truth Social: "The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"
"What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!"
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom in a video statement: "First and most importantly, I'd like to express our deep sorrow about these events. This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones.
"Our cooperation is without pause, and we want to learn everything we can about today's events. That work will take time, but anything we can do now, we're doing, and right now that means focusing on taking care of all passengers and crew involved, as well as their families."
Team USA figure skater Luke Wang on X (formerly Twitter): "Praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc. among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely heartbreaking. As we hold everybody on board in our thoughts, we will continue to wait for official information to be released."
What Happens Next?
First responders are continuing recovery efforts in the Potomac River. The operation is likely to take days, authorities said.
Runways at Reagan National Airport reopened at 11 a.m. Thursday.
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