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The air tragedy that occurred on the night of this Wednesday in Washington D.C. has shocked the world of figure skating, as among the victims were recognized athletes, including the world champions of Russian origin Evgenia Shishkova and Vadím Naumov.
Flight 5342 of American Airlines, which was carrying a group of skaters, coaches, and family members, crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision with a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport.
An irreparable loss for figure skating
Among the passengers were at least eight skaters: Spencer Lane, Gina Khan, Edward Zhou, the Everly sisters, and Alydia Livingston, Franco Aparicio, Sean Kay, and Angela Yang; along with four coaches, including Shishkova, Naumov, and Inna Volyanskaya, a bronze medalist at the 1980 Russian Pair Skating Championship.
Sports agent Ari Zakarián was one of the first to confirm the presence of Shishkova and Naumov on the flight, information that was soon confirmed by the Kremlin
"We deeply regret the loss of our fellow citizens who passed away in the plane crash and send our condolences to their families and friends."
The pair Shishkova and Naumov had an outstanding career in figure skating during the 1990s. They won the world championship in 1994, as well as a silver medal in 1995 and a bronze medal in 1993.
They were also four-time European medalists and achieved fourth place at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. In 1998, both settled in the United States, where they dedicated themselves to teaching skating.
Jon Maravilla: The Skater Who Averted Tragedy
Amidst the pain, a stroke of luck emerged: the skater Jon Maravilla had a ticket for the flight, but he did not board because the airline would not allow his dog to travel with him.
The young athlete, of Mexican origin, decided to make the 14-hour drive to stay close to his pet.
Hours later, he learned about the accident. "I can't believe what has happened. I am devastated for my colleagues," he expressed on social media.
Skating community in shock
The International Skating Union (ISU) expressed its sorrow over the tragedy:
"It breaks our hearts to know that among the people on board are figure skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches. Figure skating is more than just a sport: it is a very close-knit family, and we stand together during these difficult times."
For its part, US Figure Skating confirmed in a statement the presence of athletes on the plane: "These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp in Wichita. We are devastated by this unimaginable tragedy and have the families of the victims very much in our hearts."
The accident: Mid-flight collision and fall into the Potomac River
The regional Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft from PSA Airlines, which was operating a flight for American Airlines, was carrying 64 passengers and 4 crew members when it collided in mid-air with a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter.
The helicopter was conducting a routine training flight, and there were three military personnel on board. The collision occurred around 9:00 PM local time this Wednesday as the aircraft was approaching runway 33 of Ronald Reagan National Airport.
The impact caused the aircraft to break in two and fall into the Potomac River. Emergency teams launched a search and rescue operation, managing to recover more than 30 bodies in the first few hours. No survivors were reported.
According to the CNN network, after 90 minutes of searching, authorities confirmed that there were no signs of life among the passengers.
Ongoing investigation
The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the helicopter was participating in a routine night flight training, although Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged that "a mistake was made" during the maneuver.
"There are no excuses. We will get to the bottom of this. The military regularly engages in dangerous activities, but a tragic mistake occurred last night," he declared from the White House.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, while aviation experts warn that it is still too early to speculate about the causes.
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