Elite Team USA figure skaters and coaches are now feared to be deceased as they were onboard the American Eagle flight that collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night.
Also on that doomed flight were two Russian world champions.
U.S. Figure Skating revealed that the athletes were returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas.
It is not immediately clear how many Team USA skaters were onboard the American Eagle Flight 5342 that was carrying 60 passengers as bodies are still being recovered from the freezing river.
The 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championship is the final qualifier for the U.S. World and Junior Championship teams. It concluded Sunday in Wichita. However, it was immediately followed by the National Development Camp.
🚨#BREAKING: According to reports, with Team USA pair skater Luke Wang confirming that many U.S. Figure Skating Championship contestants and coaches are believed to have been on the jet that crashed earlier this evening
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 30, 2025
U.S. figure skating championships in Wichita, Kansas just a few days ago.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 30, 2025
Team USA figure skaters and coaches were reportedly on the flight from Kansas to D.C. which crashed pic.twitter.com/ZlZlBTWP1D
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Team USA Figure Skating Releases Statement
American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with an Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River.
Aboard that flight were many Team USA figure skaters and coaches who are now feared to be deceased.
The figure skaters and coaches were returning from events held in Wichita, Kan.
U.S. Figure Skating said the following in a statement:
“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 sports organization said in a statement.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” it added.
