The main American authority for the sport announced early Thursday that the airplane that crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday and suffered an in-air collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter included elite American figure skaters.
According to Russian state media, the American Eagle flight also carried two Russian world champions.
The athletes were returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas, according to U.S. Figure Skating.
According to a statement from the sports organization, these skaters, coaches, and family members were on their way home from the National Development Camp, which was held in connection with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
We have deep sympathy for the families of the victims and are heartbroken by this unimaginable catastrophe, it continued.
The number of American skaters on board American Eagle Flight 5342, which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was not immediately known, according to American Airlines, the airline’s parent company.
The National Development Camp immediately followed the conclusion of the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championship, the last qualifying event for the U.S. World and Junior Championship teams, in Wichita on Sunday.
Athletes competing for a position on Team USA in future world championships, including elite figure skaters, use the camp as a springboard.
According to U.S. Figure Skating’s website, athletes take part in a three-day educational training program to increase their exposure to Team USA and High Performance Programs.
At the end of the camp, athletes can also be chosen for high performance programs and contests, including advanced novice and junior international tournaments.
According to Russian state news agencies TASSandRIA Novosti, the passengers included married couple Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, the Russian world pairs figure skating champions. In their reporting, both organizations referenced an unidentified source.
According to TASS, Shishkova, 52, and Naumov, 55, had been residing in the United States since 1998 after retiring from competitive skating. They had won the pairs figure skating event at the 1994 World Championship. The Russian national team was among the skaters they were coaching.
Although he did not say whether Shishkova and Naumov were on the airplane, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian citizens were on board.
He informed reporters during his daily press conference that there was bad news from Washington today. We offer our condolences and condolences to the relatives and family of our countrymen who lost loved ones in this terrible disaster.
He said, “Sad news is being confirmed.”