Two skaters, two coaches and two parents from the Skating Club of Boston were on the plane that crashed near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, according to executive director Doug Zeghibe.
Newsweek has reached out to the Skating Club of Boston by phone and email for comment.
Why It Matters
The plane, American Eagle flight 5342 with 60 passengers and four crew on board, had a midair collision with a Black Hawk Army helicopter on Wednesday, marking the first major aviation disaster in the U.S. involving a commercial aircraft since 2009.
The flight had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching for landing at Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with the helicopter. The helicopter was on a training flight with a crew of three, based out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
What To Know
The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. ET. on Wednesday, and the number of casualties is unclear as the search-and-rescue operation continues. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that a “CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport.”
Zeghibe told NBC10 Boston News on Thursday that Spencer Lane, who he called a “phenom,” and Gina Khan were two skaters who had died in the crash.
Former world champion Russian skaters Evgenia Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55, were the staff members that died. They had joined the skating club in Norwood, Massachusetts, in 2017.
“They are like family to us,” Zeghibe said.
One clip, posted by X, formerly Twitter, user Tyler Anderson, features video of the plane in the far distance in the night sky before it collides with the helicopter. In the clip, aviation control clears the flight to land, advising PAT25 helicopter to watch out for traffic.
According to a report by the BBC, 19 bodies have been recovered so far. While few details regarding the passengers are available at this early stage, U.S. Figure Skating—the organization overseeing the sport nationwide—has confirmed some of its members were on board.
The executive director said he assume the club will be open “because skaters are resilient and they want to skate” as well as have an opportunity to grieve together.
Zeghibe added that his club can’t take a break due to the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in March, which will be held in Boston at TD Garden.
The Skating Club of Boston team also lost a number of skaters in a plane crash in 1961, when 34 skaters, coaches, officials and family members died in the crash of Sabena Flight 548 in Belgium. The entire U.S. figure skating team was killed on their way to the 1961 World Championships.
“You rebuild over time,” Zeghibe said.
What People Are Saying
Doug Zeghibe, executive director of the Skating Club of Boston: “I think a lot are trying to process it…Folks are just stunned by this. My phone is just blowing up with emails and texts.”
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said on X: “We will continue to work through the night to get answers alongside federal, state and local officials. Pray for Kansas. Pray for the passengers, pilots, the first responders, rescue crews, and their families.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a video statement: “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. We understand and appreciate the people are eager for information, please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as we can, but anything we must report, must be accurate.”
What’s Next
First responders are continuing to work around the crash site in the Potomac River.
The control tower audio, witness accounts and the plane’s black box will be among the things looked at by crash investigators to look into the causes of the incident.
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