Gina Heslop
A devastating plane crash near Washington, D.C., has left the nation in shock. The accident involved a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter, resulting in no survivors.
Among those killed were world champion figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, along with other skaters, coaches, and family members.
Deadly Midair Collision
The tragedy occurred around 9:00 PM local time when a passenger plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. The helicopter had three soldiers on board for a training mission.
Fire and emergency crews responded quickly, but the impact was fatal for everyone on board. So far, 28 bodies have been recovered—27 from the plane and one from the helicopter.
Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly described the situation as “highly complex” due to strong winds, freezing temperatures, and low visibility over the Potomac River.
Disturbing footage of the crash showed a massive explosion in the sky before both aircraft plunged into the river.
Skaters and Coaches Among the Victims
U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that several skaters, their families, and coaches were on the plane after attending a training camp following the national championships in Wichita, Kansas. Among them were young skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, along with renowned Russian coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Doug Zeghibe, the chief executive of the Skating Club of Boston, confirmed their deaths, saying, “This will have long-reaching impacts for our community.”
Remembering Shishkova and Naumov
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were world champions in pairs skating, winning the 1994 title in Chiba, Japan. After retiring, they moved to the U.S. and became respected coaches. Since 2017, they had been training skaters at the Skating Club of Boston.
Their son, Maxim Naumov, a top U.S. skater, had recently competed in the national championships, where his parents watched from the stands. There are reports that he may have been on the flight, though this remains unconfirmed.
An Unimaginable Loss
The figure skating community is mourning this heartbreaking tragedy. Many fans and fellow skaters have shared their grief online, remembering Shishkova and Naumov’s legacy.
Their childhood coach, Ludmila Velikova, expressed deep sorrow: “They were like my children. Zhenya trained with me from age 11, and Vladik from age 14. What’s happened is awful. The best people have been taken away from us.”
