A devastating mid-air collision in Washington, DC, has claimed the lives of six individuals closely tied to the figure skating world, casting a somber shadow over the sport.
Among the victims were 16-year-old skaters Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, their mothers, and esteemed Russian coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, all affiliated with a Boston based skating club.
Doug Zeghibe, the club’s chief executive, expressed the profound impact of the tragedy, emphasizing the close-knit nature of the skating community. “Skating is a very close and tight-knit community,, I think for all of us, we have lost family,” he said.
The group had been returning from a development camp linked to the recent US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, when the collision occurred between a commercial airliner and a military helicopter on Wednesday night. Officials do not expect any survivors. So far, 28 bodies have been recovered, with at least 14 of the jet’s passengers believed to have ties to figure skating.
US Figure Skating, the governing body of the sport, confirmed that several skaters, coaches, and family members were aboard the flight but has not disclosed further details.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating multiple factors to determine the cause of the crash, while rescue teams continue searching the icy waters of the Potomac River for wreckage and remains. The American airlines flight carried 64 passengers, while three people were on the helicopter.
The University of Delaware confirmed the loss of Sasha Kirsanov, a former skating coach at the university. “We believe two young skaters who were members of the UD Figure Skating Club also were on board,” the university president stated, though no further details were provided. Other clubs including the Philadelphia Skating Club and the Skating club of Northern Virginia, expressed their sorrow but refrained from naming the victims.
Alongside Kirsanov, two young ice dancers, Angela Yang and Sean Kay, were killed.
Among those on board was Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet figure skater, according to Russian news agency Tass.
The Boston based club mourns the loss of Christine Lane and Jin Han, mothers of the young skaters, as well as renowned coaches Shishkova and Naumov. Zeghibe described Spencer Lane as a rising star in figure skating, highlighting his natural talent and and rapid ascent in the sport. Coach Elin Scharn echoed this sentiment, stating,”I’ve never seen somebody coming to it so fast, so naturally.”
Both Spencer and Jinna Han were “leaders” at the club, Mr Zeghibe said. “Jinna was a serious competitor, but so nice about it”, he said. “She was loved by all.”
Shishkova and Naumov, the former Russian pairs skaters who won the 1994 World Championship and later competed at the Olympics, had transitioned into coaching in the United States. Zeghibe described them as holding high standards yet being incredibly kind. The couple leaves behind their 24-year-old son, Max, who followed in their footsteps as a figure skater.
Olympic medalist and Boston Skating Vlub alumna Nancy Kerrigan paid tribute to the late coaches, saying, “I’ve never seen anyone love skating as much as these two, and that’s why I think it hurts so much,” she said. “Much like everyone here has been saying, I’m not sure how to process it.”
For many in the figure skating world, this tragedy brings painful memories of the 1961 plane crash that claimed the lives of the entire US figure skating team en route to the World Championships in Prague. Zeghibe reflected on the historic loss, emphasizing its long-term impact on the sport. “It had long reaching implications,” he said. “When you use coaches like this, you lose the future of the sport as well.”
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