Top figure skaters from the United States and Russia were on board the American Airlines flight that crashed late Wednesday night into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., after colliding with a military helicopter.
U.S. Figure Skating, the organization that serves as the sport’s national governing body, confirmed the plane’s passengers included several of its members, who had attended a prestigious training camp for novice and intermediate skaters in Wichita, Kansas, where the flight took off.
“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,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. “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.”
At a news conference Thursday, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said “it was truly an honor” for her city to host the figure skating championships for the first time.
“We were so excited to have the opportunity to host the national championship,” Wu told reporters. “Even yesterday, I had folks tell me how wonderful these last few days have been with additional individuals who came into our community either to watch or to participate.”
Wichita officials are waiting for more information on the crash, including details from U.S. Figure Skating, Wu said.
None of the American skaters, their coaches or family members have been identified, but the Skating Club of Boston said two young skaters, their mothers and two coaches were among the passengers, CBS News Boston reported. Alex Schauffler, a representative for U.S. Figure Skating, told CBS News the organization could not share additional details early Wednesday morning.
Two Russian figure skaters, former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were on the plane along with other Russian citizens, the country’s state-run news agency TASS reported, citing an unnamed source and government official.
“Bad news arrived from Washington today. We feel sorry and express our condolences to the families and friends who lost [their loved ones] and Russian nationals among those killed in the aviation tragedy,” said Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov at a news briefing, according to TASS.
American Eagle Flight No. 5342, a passenger jet operated by PSA Airlines and owned by American, collided in midair with a Black Hawk helicopter near its intended landing site at Reagan National Airport, causing both to subsequently crash into the Potomac River below. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members, and three soldiers were aboard the helicopter, officials said. Based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, the helicopter was on a training flight when it struck the aircraft.
At least 28 bodies had been recovered from the river by 8 a.m. ET Thursday, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly told reporters. Donnelly added: “We don’t believe there are any survivors.”
An investigation into the collision is underway. A law enforcement source familiar with the probe told CBS News it is focused on “why the helicopter was flying at that location and altitude at that moment.”
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social and criminal justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
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