'Several' U.S. figure skaters died in DC plane crash aboard Flight 5342

The national governing body of figure skating in the U.S. confirmed the deaths of skaters and coaches in a deadly plane crash Wednesday near Washington, D.C.

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…
— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 30, 2025

"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.," U.S. Figure Skating announced in a statement posted to its social media accounts Thursday. "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."

Flight 5342, a Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-700, took off from Wichita, Kansas with 60 passengers and four crew on board. It was approaching Reagan National Airport for landing when it collided with an Army helicopter in mid-air above the Potomac River.

After rescue workers searched overnight, government officials announced there were no survivors of the crash, including three Army personnel aboard the helicopter.

Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director of the Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, Massachusetts, told WCVB that two teenage figure skaters, their mothers and two renowned coaches were among 14 members of the U.S. Figure Skating team who were on the American Airlines plane.

Skater Spencer Lane, 16, and his mother, Christine Lane, skater Jinna Han, 13, of Mansfield, Massachusetts, and her mother, Jin Han, and coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were aboard the plane, WCVB confirmed.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held last week in Wichita, followed by a national development camp from which skaters, coaches and their families were returning.

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'Several' U.S. figure skaters died in DC plane crash aboard American Airlines Flight 5342

By J.P. Hoornstra | 12:39 PM EST