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The Figure Skating Community Responds To The D.C Plane Crash With Grief & Support

On the night of Jan. 29, an American airlines passenger plane en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan National Airport collided with a U.S. Army helicopter just before its descent outside of Washington, D.C. On the morning of Jan. 30, officials confirmed there were no expected survivors from either aircraft following hours of recovery efforts in the Potomac River, where both aircrafts fell. It’s the deadliest aviation-related tragedy in the U.S. since November 2001.

According to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, there were 64 people on the plane and three Army soldiers in the helicopter. U.S. Figure Skating, the national governing body for figure skating, confirmed several skaters, coaches, and family members were on the flight, returning from a training camp just after the sport’s national championships, which were held in Wichita.

“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 shared in a statement. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.”

As of midday Jan. 30, the full list of those on the flight had not been publicly released. However, the Skating Club of Boston shared in a press conference that some of its members were on the flight, including athlete Jinna Han and her mother Jin Han, athlete Spencer Lane and his mother Christine Lane, and former championship skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. “Six is a horrific number for us. But we’re fortunate and grateful it wasn’t more than six. This will have long, reaching impacts for our skating community,” the club’s CEO Doug Zeghibe said.

While more information is expected to come in the days following the crash — including how, exactly, it happened — the figure skating community in the U.S. and beyond have shown an outpouring of grief for the lives lost, and support for those who loved them.

Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together,” the International Skating Union, the global governing body for the sport of skating, shared in a statement. “We remain in close contact with U.S. Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time.”

Several prominent members of the figure skating community, including Tonya Harding, Adam Rippon, and Ilia Malinin, also shared their support on social media.

“My heart is broken for our skating community,” Olympic skater Tara Lipinski wrote on her Instagram Story. “It’s unimaginable the loss. We will mourn their loss and ALWAYS remember them. My heart is with all the families affected — that part I have no words for.”

College figure skating teams and clubs also took to social media to share statements.

Officials are expected to release more information about this tragedy in the coming days.

Lexi Williams is the Senior Editor at Her Campus, where she spearheads the site's Life and News coverage — including academics, national news, digital news, and viral news. She also oversees our Gen Leaders and Dream Jobs franchises, and works with the national writer team, interns, and freelance writers. Dedicating her career to helping college students, teens, and twentysomethings live their best lives, Lexi became obsessed with all things Gen Z through her previously held editorial positions at Elite Daily and Dorm Therapy. Before that, she dabbled in the food and wine space at Wine Spectator magazine, where she learned to balance her Champagne taste with her Two-Buck-Chuck budget. Lexi's bylines have also appeared in Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Bustle, StyleCaster, and Betches, among others. She graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Miami in 2016. Originally from Florida, Lexi currently lives with her husband in Brooklyn, New York, where she spends her days scouting the best pizza spots, working on her debut novel, perpetually redecorating her apartment, and taking too many photos of her yappy little rescue dog, Benji. For pitches, contact Lexi at lexiwilliams@hercampus.com. For a healthy dose of Millennial cringe, follow her on Instagram at @lexi___williams.