U.S. Figure Skating confirms that athletes, coaches, and family members were on American Airlines Flight 5342 that crashed in D.C.

[AYS]

Horrific, heartbreaking tragedy.

 

[dewey]

This is just horrific, and Max! Poor Max! I am in DC. Search and rescue is continuing.

 

[Daisy18]

My deepest sympathies to their families. I am crying right now.

 

[BlueRidge]

Just woke up to this. I can't speak.

 

[doubleturn]

Nothing new yet on NECN other than recovery efforts underway. Too early in the day for anything on the The Skating Club of Boston website.

NECN is New England Cable News/NBC Boston.

 

[JJH]

The BBC reports from CBS sources that at least 30 bodies have been found.

 

[viennese]

This is the saddest morning.

I am thinking of al the skaters, coaches, parents, USFSA officials - and everyone who is waiting for news of their loved ones - I am sorry for your pain and loss.

 

[Spartacus]

Shaking.

 

[Spiralgraph]

Oh Lord.. I only heard of a plane crash in DC this morning and heard no other details. Horrible news.

 

[dewey]

WTOP.com will be giving a live update at 730

 

[Carolla5501]

This is heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking last night when you didn’t know who was impacted, and even though I don’t personally know any of the skaters or their families it’s the first thing we went through my was there could’ve been skaters on that flight. Then I thought it was so long after the event that I was being overly dramatic. Obviously, sadly, I was not.

 

[nickp]

It feels like Sabena Flight 548 has happened again

 

[rfisher]

No survivors.

 

[Carolla5501]

No survivors.

I think that was evident when I went to bed at 11 last night. They were talking about the water temperature, the ice in the water, the darkness. I felt like if anybody had survived, they would be on the surface and they would’ve found them and the fact that they hadn’t two hours after the crash indicated to me that no one was coming out of this one.

I have a friend who’s a pilot and he has told me in the past that this is an airport he hates flying into. The airspace is very restricted because of security and there’s a lot going on at that airport.

 

[dewey]

They have switched from rescue to recovery

 

[victorskid]

Things are now being handed over to NTSB - they will provide further updates

 

[Gazpacho]

Absolutely horrible. It's like 1961 again. This is so sad.

 

[fsfann]

Horrific tragedy. News reports say there were 14 skaters on board plus their families.

 

[Frau Muller]

Inna Volyanskaya is rumored to have been killed by the crash as well.

Very sad…and related lids.

 

[pollyanna]

Just horrific news. My heart goes out to family and friends of victims. I feel sick about this.

 

[starbucks]

So far I've heard of four coaches who were on the plane, including the Naumovs.

 

[Ananas Astra]

What a nightmare. My heart goes out to everyone affected.

 

[peibeck]

Inna Volyanskaya is rumored to have been killed by the crash as well.

Besides being another former Soviet skater, I believe she was the head coach of the Washington DC Figure Skating Club.

ETA: there is no "head coach" but she was a coach with that club, sorry for the confusion.

Between the promising talent, such a wealth of knowledge lost with the passing of these coaches too.

I hope some moment of tribute will be paid to these victims of tragedy in Boston despite the tight schedule of Worlds.

 

[DreamSkates]

Heart broken for the families who lost a child, a beloved coach. Heartbroken for US Figure Skating community. Heartbroken for all of us fans who care deeply for the youth who put their heart and soul into this sport and their future is gone.

I'm questioning why a helicopter was in the path of a commercial plane with a flight plan trying to land at an airport. Just saying it because others are thinking it too. I want more than an explanation. Apologies won't di much either.

Things happen in life that we don't understand. Painful things. I'm not the only one posting who has experienced the same. I am often comforted by God who is with us in the midst of our troubles.
Please share what comforts you in hard times.

 

[sk8pics]

I heard just now that a young ice dance team from UDel was on the flight. Also Sasha Kirsanov.

 

[MacMadame]

I'm questioning why a helicopter was in the path of a commercial plane with a flight plan trying to land at an airport. Just saying it because others are thinking it too. I want more than an explanation. Apologies won't di much either.

It was a training flight. I assume they screwed up.

 

[Lara]

Beyond horrific. No words except my heart goes out to all the families. (((Maxim)))

 

[oleada]

This is horrifically sad. My thoughts go out to the victims’ family and friends.

 

[livetoskate]

Someone on X (tammytabby) posted that Sean Kay & Edward Zhou also died in the crash. Such horrible news....

 

[Taso]

I am so sad for all of the friends and families of everyone on board. Seems like this accident was completely avoidable, on top of everything...

Years ago, Shishkova and Naumov skated to Schubert's Unfinished Symphony. The story they told was one of Shishkova dying and Naumov's grief. I remember being kinda creeped out by it back then.

Now in real life Shishkova and Naumov will be mourned by their son and skating community with their lives unfinished, cut short by this tragedy. That program now reads to me as ominous foreshadowing, with just a bit of plot twist.

Just so so awful, this is so sad. ..