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The LA wildfires, the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort, and now the plane crash. Not even one month into 2025, and a barrage of mishaps have already happened. It’s already hard to wrap your head around, but something even worse has already happened. Something totally unimaginable. In a tragic crash, an American Airlines passenger jet carrying 15 figure skaters collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. This happened in the early hours of January 29th near the Reagan Washington National Airport.

This happened just a few miles south of the White House, in one of the most controlled airspaces in the world. The crash, which sent the plane and helicopter into the icy waters of the Potomac River, sparked a search-and-rescue effort. The jet had 64 passengers aboard, and the military helicopter carried three soldiers. Among the passengers were U.S. and Russian figure skaters, which added a whole new layer of heartbreak to the tragedy. Though the final numbers haven’t been confirmed, reports are suggesting that the fatalities could be in the dozens.

NBC’s Washington affiliate reported that over 30 bodies had been pulled from the river. Among those affected by the news was Ilia Malinin, the American competitive figure skater and 2024 World Champion. Ilia, visibly shaken by the incident, took to social media to express his sorrow and offer condolences. He shared a series of Instagram stories, beginning with a repost from Barstool MV that included details about the flight, AA5342, traveling from Wichita to D.C.

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His next post read, “I hope and pray for everyone who was on that flight is OK. God bless,” followed by another story that said, “Praying that everyone is OK.” Unfortunately, officials have already confirmed the deaths of two-figure skaters.

Iconic figure skater athletes among those lost in tragic crash

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Could this tragedy have been avoided in one of the world's most controlled airspaces?

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Recovery teams have already retrieved over 30 bodies from the Potomac River, and they believe there are no survivors. Among those on board were 15 figure skater athletes from the figure skating world, including both U.S. and Russian skaters. Among the confirmed victims were Russian skating icons, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 World Pairs champions. They were not only major figures in the sport but also beloved coaches after retiring from competition.

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Their son, Maxim Naumov, had just competed in the U.S. National Championships. Ludmila Velikova, who trained Shishkova and Naumov when they were young, shared her devastation, calling them “my children.” She spoke to reporters, saying, “They were my favorite sports people… what’s happened is awful. The best people have been taken away from us.”

The entire figure skating world has rallied together in mourning. The International Skating Union (ISU) expressed its sorrow, noting, “Figure skating is more than a sport—it’s a close-knit family—and we stand together.” The community’s outpouring of support shows just how strong those bonds are, as everyone comes together to support these figure skater athletes and the families and friends of those lost in this unimaginable tragedy.

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Could this tragedy have been avoided in one of the world's most controlled airspaces?

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