As it became apparent that multiple figure skating athletes and coaches had died in a collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., the International Skating Union (ISU) expressed its condolences.
In a statement on the 30th (local time), ISU said, “The ISU and the skating community mourn the tragic loss of the figure skating athletes, coaches, and families aboard the passenger plane that crashed last night in Washington, D.C.” The ill-fated passenger plane was carrying 20 individuals, including current and former figure skating athletes and their parents, returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
It added, “We will communicate closely with the U.S. figure skating community and provide full support to the bereaved families during this very difficult time.”
Kim Jae-yeol, president of ISU, also noted, “Today is a heartbreaking day for the figure skating community. Losing so many members of our community brings an indescribable sadness,” and added, “We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of all those who perished in this tragic accident.”
Earlier, American Airlines' subsidiary PSA Airlines flight 5342 collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter while approaching runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Airport near Washington, D.C., around 8:55 p.m. the previous day, crashing into the Potomac River. The passenger plane had 4 crew members and about 60 passengers on board, while 3 soldiers were on the helicopter. Authorities have determined that there are no survivors.
A moment of silence was held at the ISU European Championships, which took place in Tallinn, Estonia, to honor the figure skating athletes who lost their lives in the accident.
It has been confirmed that approximately 20 figure skating athletes and coaches were on the ill-fated plane. Among them were Evgenia Shushkova and Vadim Naumov, a married couple who are former champions of the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships and are currently working as coaches.
The sacrifices of Korean-American teenage athletes were also reported. The crash involved figure skating prodigy Gina Han and her mother Jin Han. Additionally, Spencer Ray, who was confirmed to have been adopted from Korea to the United States, was also on that flight.
Condolences from figure skating legends followed. Nancy Kerrigan, a leading star in U.S. figure skating, held a press conference with 1956 Olympic gold medalist Tenley Albright at the Boston Skating Club to memorialize the victims. Nancy Kerrigan is a former U.S. figure skating athlete, a silver medalist at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, and a bronze medalist at the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics. She was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004 and is well known as the victim of the Tonya Harding attack.
Kerrigan mourned the loss of Korean-American promising athletes Gina Han and Spencer Ray, saying, “I have never seen athletes who love skating as much as they did. I have watched them work hard and grow here,” adding, “It is such a tragic accident that it breaks my heart.”