Airports are sites of emotional rollercoasters. One minute, they’re filled with excited reunions, the next, they’re the backdrop for teary goodbyes. But on this particular night at Reagan National Airport, the emotions took a devastating turn, especially for the figure skating community. Families were waiting for American Eagle Flight No. 5342 to land, eager to see their loved ones. A newlywed husband shifting from foot to foot, anxious to see his wife. Parents scan the crowd, looking for their kids. A son waiting for his father, a mother hoping to wrap her arms around her daughter. They were supposed to be moments of joy. Instead, the airport became a place of heartbreak.

At around 9 p.m. Wednesday, 30th January just as the aircraft was approaching the runway, disaster struck. American Eagle Flight No. 5342, a regional jetliner carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter. The impact was catastrophic. Flames filled the sky, and debris scattered near the airport into the frigid Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport. The rescue teams scrambled to the scene. But the outcome was devastating, there were no survivors. So far, 40 bodies have been recovered, with more still lost in the wreckage.

And among the passengers? Some of the biggest names in figure skating. The flight had been carrying elite skaters and coaches, many returning from the U.S. National Championships. Most recently, Russian figure skating world champions, coaches and loving couple since 1995, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among those confirmed to have perished. The news sent shockwaves through the skating world as it was recently revealed on X by Brics News. And just days before their passing, they shared their pride about their son.

Maxim Naumov had just pulled off one of the best performances of his career, finishing fourth in the senior men’s competition at the U.S. National Championships in Wichita, Kansas. His parents couldn’t have been prouder. The next day, they took to Instagram, still riding the high of his success. “Maxim made us all proud,” they wrote, celebrating his comeback after placing seventh in the short program. They acknowledged his coaches, Serhii and Irina Vaypan, and choreographer Adam Blake for helping him deliver such a powerful and emotional performance. And the best part? He had officially earned a spot on the Four Continents team. But what about the rest?

Tragic losses in the figure skating world and beyond

Shishkova, 52, and Naumov, 55, had no way of knowing that the celebration of Maxim’s performance at the U.S. National Championships would be their last. The husband and wife were coming back from a U.S. Figure Skating development camp when the tragic crash occurred. The crash also claimed the lives of young skaters they coached—Spencer Lane, 16, and Jinna Han, 13—along with their mothers, Christine Lane and Jin Han, and several other skaters.

Just days before, Spencer had been one of the first to cheer Maxim on, commenting “YAY MAX!!!” on his parents’ Instagram post. That simple cheer now feels like a bittersweet memory. Tragically, Angela Yang and Sean Kay, both just 11 years old, were on the flight, coached by former University of Delaware coach Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov. His wife, Natalya Gudin, shared the heartbreaking news, remembering the young skaters as talented and full of potential.

It’s hard to imagine the pain felt by those who lost loved ones in the crash. Asra Hussain Raza, just 26, had moved to Washington, D.C. for a new consulting job. Alongside her were four members of the Steamfitters United Association Local 602, a labor union in Maryland.

Then there’s Ryan O’Hara, the 29-year-old helicopter crew chief, a father to a 1-year-old and a husband. His ROTC program paid a heartfelt tribute to him, honoring his life and service. The loss of so many young lives, with so much still ahead of them, leaves a lasting void for everyone who knew them. It’s hard to even begin processing such a heartbreaking tragedy. We wish the victims’ families and friends strength and respite during these trying times.