On a tragic Wednesday night, American Airlines Flight 5342, a regional jet traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., crashed into the icy Potomac River around 9 p.m. The flight, which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, included six members from a figure skating group returning from a National Development Camp. The crash also involved a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which carried three military personnel.

At this time, there are fears that no one on board the flight survived the crash. Spencer Lane, one of the figure skaters on the plane, had been documenting his journey on Instagram, sharing his final post before the tragedy. The photo, taken inside the plane, was captioned “ICT -> DCA,” referencing the codes for Wichita’s Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) and Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA).

The Skating Club of Boston, based in Norwood, Massachusetts, confirmed that several of its members were aboard the ill-fated flight. The individuals believed to be on board included Jinna Han, Jin Han, Spencer Lane, Christine Lane, Vadim Naumov, and Evgenia Shishkova. Naumov and Shishkova, renowned for winning the World Figure Skating Championship in 1994 in pairs, were also part of the group. Their son, who was also attending the skating camp, may have been on the flight, though it has not yet been confirmed.

Doug Zeghibe, the head of the Skating Club of Boston, expressed the devastation the community felt. He described the figure skating world as a tightly-knit family, with athletes, coaches, and families working together day in and day out. He stated, “Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy. Everyone is like family, and we are completely at a loss for words.”

The situation took a grim turn when John Donnelly, the chief of fire and emergency services in Washington, D.C., reported that the rescue operation had transitioned into a recovery effort. He confirmed, “At this point, we do not believe there are any survivors from this accident.” The announcement marked the end of hopes for any survivors from the crash.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the crash occurred when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines, collided mid-air with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The regional jet was approaching Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport when the incident occurred. The FAA also clarified that the jet had been following its normal flight approach when the collision took place.

In a statement from former President Donald Trump, he expressed confusion and concern over the crash, particularly questioning why the helicopter didn’t change its position to avoid the collision. He remarked, “It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane?”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also addressed the situation, confirming that President Trump had been made aware of the crash. She conveyed the administration’s thoughts and prayers to those affected, emphasizing the seriousness of the incident. “I can confirm that President Trump has been made aware of the situation, and tragically, it appears that a military helicopter collided with a regional jet at DCA airport right here in Washington, D.C.,” Leavitt stated. She asked the public to remain patient and to allow law enforcement to continue their efforts in recovering the victims.

As more details are awaited, our thoughts and condolences go out to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this devastating crash. The tragic loss has deeply affected the figure skating community and beyond, leaving everyone with a sense of sorrow and disbelief. The impact of this horrific accident will resonate for a long time, as we remember the lives lost and the families left behind.