Elite American figure skaters, as well as two Russian world champions, were onboard the American Eagle flight that crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The athletes were returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the conclusion of the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The National Development Camp that followed serves as a stepping stone for athletes hoping to qualify for Team USA in upcoming world championships.
Among the passengers were Russian figure skating champions Shishkova and Naumov, who had been living in the U.S. since 1998 and were working as coaches for the Russian national team. The Kremlin confirmed that Russian nationals were onboard the flight but did not specify if the pair was among the casualties. Russian state media reported their presence on the plane.
The tragic crash has left the figure skating community devastated, with U.S. Figure Skating expressing its condolences to the victims’ families. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also expressed sadness over the loss of fellow citizens in the plane crash. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and details about the number of skaters onboard and their condition remain unclear. The figure skating community mourns the loss of talented athletes and coaches in this heartbreaking tragedy.
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