EVGENIA Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the world champion Russian figure-skating duo, are among at least 13 figure skaters feared dead after an American Airlines plane crashed on Wednesday night.
The plane, which was carrying 64 passengers and crew, collided with a US Army helicopter before crashing into a river near Washington D.C. Authorities confirmed that 28 bodies had been recovered, and they do not expect any survivors.
Shishkova and Naumov, who won the world championships in 1994 with their iconic routine set to Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, were returning to the US with a group of young skaters after a competition.
The couple, who married in 1995, had been based in the US, where they trained aspiring figure skaters. The Russian news agency Tass confirmed that both were on board the ill-fated flight.
Also among the passengers was Inna Volyanskaya, a legendary former Soviet Union pair skater. The International Skating Union expressed deep sorrow, with a statement that read, “We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, their families, friends, and coaches were among those on board. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport – it’s a close-knit family.”
US Figure Skating, the national governing body for the sport, confirmed that the group of athletes, coaches, and family members were returning from a training camp for the upcoming US Figure Skating Championships in Kansas.
Their statement read, “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.”
While the identities of all the victims have not been confirmed, American skater Luke Wang shared on social media that several skaters were on the flight.
“We pray for everyone on the flight from Wichita to DC. Among the passengers were skaters and coaches,” Wang wrote, calling the loss “absolutely heartbreaking.”
World and national figure skating champion Ilia Malinin, who was not on the plane, expressed his grief on Instagram, writing, “I’m heartbroken by the tragic loss of my fellow skaters in this devastating accident.
The figure skating community is a family, and this loss is beyond words. My thoughts are with their families, friends, and everyone affected. We will never forget them.”