Figure skaters, coaches on plane that crashed in D.C.

Top figure skaters and their coaches were among the 64 people aboard an American Airlines flight that crashed into a U.S. Army helicopter on Wednesday night near Washington, D.C.

By early Thursday, at least 28 bodies had been pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River as emergency crews shifted their mission from rescue to recovery.

"We don't believe there are any survivors," said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation's capital.

The airplane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members as it prepared to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport. The Black Hawk helicopter had three people aboard.

The jet was found upside-down in at least three sections in waist-deep water. It is the first major commercial airline crash on U.S. soil since Feb. 12, 2009, when 50 people died near Buffalo, N.Y.

U.S. Figure Skating issued a statement early Thursday morning.

"U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C. 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.

"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."

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships ran from Jan. 20 through Sunday, though many skaters remained afterward for the advanced training camp.

The International Skating Union, the sport's governing body, issued a statement stating it was "deeply shocked" by the crash.

"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy," the organization said. "Figure skating is more than a sport -- it's a close-knit family -- and we stand together. We remain in close contact with U.S. Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time."

The news of the crash quickly spread throughout the skating community.

"praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc," U.S. pairs skater Luke Wang, a 20-year-old from the Baltimore area, posted to X. "among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely heartbreaking."

praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc. among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely heartbreaking.

— LUKE WANG (@lukeawang) January 30, 2025

Aviation tragedy has touched the U.S. figure skating scene before.

In February 1961, 18 members of the United States figure skating team and 14 other members of their traveling party were among 73 people killed when their plane crashed in Belgium. They were en route to the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague.

Among those killed was 16-year-old Laurence Owen, who just four days earlier had won the North American Figure Skating Championships in Philadelphia and a month after winning the U.S. title. She finished sixth at the 1960 Winter Olympics.

There was no immediate word on the cause of Wednesday night's collision, which occurred under clear conditions.

"On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach," American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said. "At this time, we don't know why the military aircraft came into the path of the ... aircraft."

--Field Level Media