A married couple who were world champion figure skaters have been confirmed as passengers on board the American Airlines flight that fatally collided with a helicopter last night.
The American Airlines Flight 5342 had departed Wichita, Kansas, and was expecting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter at around 9pm on Wednesday (January 29).
The airplane was reportedly carrying 60 travellers and four crew members, while three were onboard the helicopter, when the aircrafts collided some 300 feet above the Potomac River.
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The water is still being extensively searched by emergency services who have confirmed today it expects to find no survivors in what is shaping up to be the deadliest US air disaster in more than 20 years.
Now, married world champion figure skaters and coaches of the sport, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, have been confirmed as passengers on the plane, according to local news reports in Russia.
The pair had won the world championships in figure skating together three decades ago in 1994 and had reportedly been living in the US since at least 1998, reports The Mirror.
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Russia's TASS and RIA news agencies also report it is feared their son, Maxim, was also on board the plane along with more than dozen other Russian figure skaters.
Maxim and other skaters had competed in the US figure skating championships in Wichita just days ago.
Inna Volyanskaya, who had competed for the Soviet Union and coached the Washington figure skating club, is also believed to have been on board.
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Another skater, Spencer Lane, also uploaded a photograph of the plane's wing before its takeoff in Wichita with the caption: "ICT TO DCA," referencing the codes for Wichita and Reagan airports, The New York Post reports.
The US Figure Skating has since issued a statement via the Olympics website, confirming skaters were on board the flight.
The statement reads: "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 US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas."
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"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts," it continues. "We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available."
Another statement by The International Skating Union (ISU) released on Twitter reads in part: "We are heartbroken to learn that Figure Skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board.
"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."
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CBS News reports the plane has split into multiple pieces and is currently eight feet deep in the river.
District of Columbia fire chief, John Donnelly, also said in a sombre press conference today (Thursday, January 30) that 28 bodies have been found to date and have switched their rescue mission to a recovery operation.
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Topics: American Airlines, Olympics, Russia, Sport, Twitter, US News, Washington, World News
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