First D.C. Plane Crash Victims Identified: World Champion Russian Skaters and Elite US Athletes On Board

Passengers on the American Airlines flight that collided with a U.S. Army helicopter before crashing into the icy waters of the Potomac River included figure skaters returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, along with two Russian coaches.
The Wednesday flight carried 60 passengers and four crew members, while the Blackhawk helicopter had three soldiers onboard for a training mission.
As of early Thursday, it remained unclear if there were any survivors. However, D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly stated that it did not appear likely, according to Fox News.
U.S. Figure Skating confirmed in a statement that multiple skaters, coaches, and family members were on the flight after attending a development camp, which followed the national championships that concluded Sunday in Wichita, Kansas.
“These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships,” the organization stated, as reported by NBC News.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” the statement continued.
Among the victims were two Russian coaches, identified by the Kremlin as a married couple who had claimed the world championship title in pairs skating three decades ago.
Passengers Identified So Far
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov
Shishkova and Naumov won the pairs competition at the 1994 World Championships in Chiba, Japan.
The duo competed in two Olympic Games.
According to The Skating Club of Boston, they were listed as coaches. Their son, Maxim Naumov, currently competes as a figure skater for the U.S.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed their presence on the flight.
“Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed,” Peskov stated.
“There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash.”
The magnitude of the disaster drew national attention. Below is a report from WTHR-TV in Indianapolis covering the incident.
The International Skating Union also expressed its sorrow, stating it was deeply shocked and heartbroken.