It’s often said that dogs can sense danger. But with U.S. figure skater Jon Maravilla, it seems his dog truly was a lifesaver. The biggest headline today is the “D.C. plane crash,” with no survivors. But for 20-year-old Jon Maravilla, he was about to board that very plane, flying from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. However, he was denied access to the flight, and the reason behind it was his dog, Yuki, a Bichon Frise.

At check-in, Jon was told that his dog was too large to board the aircraft because of size restrictions. At that moment, he was frustrated and possibly upset with his dog, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of boarding American Airlines Flight 5342, Jon decided to travel by car back to Washington.

He drove for what he thought was an inconvenient 14-hour journey. But little did he know, those 14 hours and his dog would save his life. The ill-fated flight started at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport before the fatal collision with a helicopter occurred during the airport’s approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the Potomac River.

All individuals and crew members on the flight died because of the accident. Some notable names present in this mishap were former Russian figure skating champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Both of them lost their lives. Jon’s heartache was evident as he reflected on the devastating loss, stating, “Such a tragedy.” Despite his grief, he chose not to name the victims, respecting their families’ privacy during the profound tragedy that had struck the skating community.

U.S. figure skating community mourns devastating loss

On January 30, U.S. Figure Skating issued a statement confirming that several members of their community were aboard the ill-fated flight. The statement expressed their sorrow, reading, “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.”

US Figure Skating also said, “The athletes, coaches, and family members were returning from the National Development Camp, which took place in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.” The organization further assured that they would continue to monitor the situation closely and would provide additional details as more information became available.

The skaters who were on board the doomed flight included Evgenia Shishkova, Vadim Naumov, Spencer Lane, Jinna Than, Eddie Zhou, Beverly Livingston, Liyia Livingston, Franco Aparicio, Inna Volyanskaya, Sean Kay, and Angela Yang. By 8 Eastern/7 Central, it was confirmed that at least 28 bodies had been recovered from the river. DC Fire and EMS chief John Donnelly, in a statement, mentions that they “don’t believe there are any survivors.”

The reason behind the helicopter’s presence in that particular location and altitude is still being investigated. And as a result, law enforcement and multiple other organizations have also been pulled into this affair. This tragic loss has left the skating community in mourning as they process the heartbreaking loss of so many talented athletes and their families.