American Airlines Jet Crash: Russian World Champion Figure Skaters Among Passengers – Here’s What We Know

Tragedy struck in Washington DC as an American Airlines passenger plane collided mid-air with a military helicopter. This heart-wrenching incident occurred just before 9 PM local time, claiming the lives of many.

The passenger plane was carrying 64 people from Wichita, Kansas, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. Rescue teams have recovered over 30 bodies from the Potomac River, signaling one of the worst aviation disasters in the US since 2009.

Among the passengers were Russian figure skating champions Yevgenia Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55. They won the world championships in pairs skating in 1994 and had been living in the U.S. to coach young skaters. Reports speculate that their son, Maxim, 23, who was competing at the U.S. figure skating championships, may have been on the flight, although a friend confirmed he left four days earlier.

Additionally, Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet skater and coach, was also reportedly on the flight. The Kremlin expressed condolences for the tragic loss.

The U.S. Figure Skating community has confirmed that several members, including athletes and coaches returning from a development camp in Wichita, were on the doomed flight. They expressed their grief and solidarity with the victims’ families in a heartfelt statement.

Amid the chaos, there were some mixed reports. Skater Anton Spiridonov clarified on social media that he was not on the flight, despite earlier claims. He extended his thoughts to those affected by the tragedy.

Other skaters, including Cristian McKnight-Ide and Anne Goldberg-Baldwin, shared that they were safe, urging followers to keep those on the flight in their thoughts during this difficult time.

Rescue operations remain ongoing, with over 300 first responders bravely working in freezing temperatures. The Pentagon and military officials are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, seeking to uncover what led to this devastating incident.

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