Who were the victims in the DC plane crash? Figure skaters react to tragedy
Officials believe no one survived the crash involving an American Airlines passenger plane with an Army helicopter.
On Wednesday, just before 9 p.m. ET, American Airlines Flight 5342 was involved in a mid-air collision near the Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C., American Airlines said in a statement. On board the plane was 60 passengers and four crew members.
The helicopter, a Black Hawk helicopter, carried three passengers, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. The crash occurred above the Potomac River.
The plane was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., when the crash occurred, according to American Airlines.
DC plane crash live updates: Latest on victims, NTSB investigation into cause of crash
The following list is incomplete, as many of the victims' names had not been released to the public as of Friday morning.
American Airlines staff:
Jonathan J. Campos, 34, pilot
Samuel Lilley, 28, co-pilot
Danasia Brown Elder, flight attendant
Ian Epstein, flight attendant
Skating Club of Boston:
Jinna Han, 13, a skater, and her mother, Jin Han
Spencer Lane, 16, a skater, and his mother, Christine
Evgeniya Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55, two coaches and champion skaters from Russia
Other skaters
Cory Haynos, an adolescent skater from Northern Virginia, and his parents Stephanie and Roger
Olivia Ter, 12, a skater from Maryland
Brielle Magdalena Beyer, 12, a skater, and her mother Justyna, 42
Alexandr "Sasha" Kirsanov, 46, coach
Angela Yang and Sean Kay, skaters coached by Kirsanov
Group returning from Kansas duck-hunting trip
Michael Stovall, 40
Jesse Pitcher, 30
Five others yet to be publicly identified
Others
Grace Maxwell, 29, a student at Cedarville University in Ohio
Asra Hussain Raza, 26, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant and the daughter of Indian immigrants
Kiah Duggins, civil rights attorney
Sarah Lee Best, 33, and Elizabeth Anne Keys, 33, law associates
Casey Crafton
Pergentino N. Malabed, director of its Supply Management Division for the Philippine National Police
Vikesh Patel, a GE Aerospace employee from Cincinnati
Black Hawk helicopter crew
Ryan O'Hara, 29, Crew Chief
Andrew Eaves, Chief Warrant Officer 2
A third soldier who was in the helicopter has yet to be publicly identified
The devastating toll this flight took on the figure skating community became more evident as reactions from the sport's biggest names began to trickle out on social media. Former Olympic silver medalist Ashley Wagner, former Olympic gold medalist and NBC figure skating analyst Tara Lipinski and her NBC partner and former figure skater Johnny Weir were among those to post their thoughts and prayers on Instagram.
Wagner posted a message on her Instagram Story that read: 'My heart breaks for my skating family today. I can't put into words what this feeling is – I'm horrified, heartbroken, devastated and shocked. It makes you realize that 'my heart goes out to' and 'condolences to the families' simply are not enough.'
Lipinski shared a screenshot of a news article by People with a message on her Instagram Story: "It's unimaginable the loss. We will mourn their loss and ALWAYS remember them. My heart is with all the families affected- that part I have no words for. 'Strength' and 'love' won't do it justice. So many of our own were on this tragic flight and my heart aches, for them and for everyone part of this devastating accident.'
Johnny Weir also posted his reaction on Instagram Story. Included with a screenshot of a BBC news article was the following message: 'I'm praying for everyone affected by this tragic accident. Members of our skating family were on that flight returning home from Nationals in Wichita. We mourn their loss and pray for their families & loved ones.'
Weir also made a post reading, "May we shine a light on them. May we mourn them. May we always remember them."
Wednesday's crash also prompted a response from former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding. She was left stunned, just like everyone else affiliated with the sport.
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, said in a statement offering condolences that some on board the flight may have been Olympians. Reigning world and national champion men's figure skater Ilia Malinin wrote on Instagram: "I'm heartbroken by the tragic loss of my fellow skaters in this devastating accident. The figure skating community is a family, and this loss is beyond words."
Nancy Kerrigan, the Olympic figure skater and a Skating Club of Boston alum, was overcome with emotions when speaking about the tragedy during a news conference alongside programs officials Thursday.
"I've never seen someone love skating as much as these two, and that's why I think it hurts so much," Kerrigan said of Lane and Hahn. "... When you find out you know some of the people on the plane, it's even a bigger blow."
Doug Zeghibe, the chief executive for the Skating Club of Boston, said in a briefing Thursday that "to the best of our knowledge," 14 skaters returning from the development camp in Wichita were involved in the crash, including Jinna Han and her mother Jin; Spencer Lane and his mother Christine, and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, former Russian world champion figure skaters who were married.
"This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community," Zeghibe told reporters.
— USA TODAY and the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: DC plane crash update: Figure skating victims, soldiers presumed dead
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