Several skaters, coaches and family members were aboard the plane that collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night.

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor/Reporter

U.S.

‘Unspeakable tragedy’: US Figure Skating devastated by plane crash

Jan 30

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor/Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor/Reporter ), Jack Henry (Video Editor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer)

U.S. Figure Skating confirmed several of the organization’s skaters, coaches and family members were aboard American Eagle Flight 5342 that collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter the night of Wednesday, Jan. 29. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River in Washington D.C.

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Authorities said there are likely no survivors, and now a recovery mission is underway for the plane crash.

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Why were U.S. skaters in Wichita, Kansas?

The skaters participated in a skating and training camp in Wichita, Kansas, earlier this week.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.

The organization did not identify any of the victims.

How long were the skaters in Kansas?

The Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championship wrapped up Sunday, Jan. 26, at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita. The competition was broadcast on national television.

Champions were crowned in the men’s, women’s, pairs and ice dancing events.

Skaters competed in the final qualifier for the U.S. World and World Junior Championship teams. It was the first time the event was held in Wichita.

The development camp followed the championships over the past few days in Wichita. U.S. Figure Skating said the athletes, coaches and families were returning home Wednesday.

Were there skaters from other countries on the flight?

Russian state media reported two of its former skaters were among the passengers on the American Eagle flight.

The two skaters were a married couple who won the 1994 World Championship and remained in the U.S. following their retirement in the late 1990s.

The Kremlin confirmed that Russian nationals were aboard the flight that crashed but did not provide details.

A spokesman said they grieve and console the families and friends of their fellow citizens who died in the crash.

Tags: American Airlines, Black Hawk helicopter, helicopter crash, plane crash, Sports, U.S. Army

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

U.S. FIGURE SKATING CONFIRMED THAT SEVERAL OF THE ORGANIZATION’S SKATERS, COACHES AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE ON-BOARD AMERICAN EAGLE FLIGHT 5342 THAT COLLIDED WITH A BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND PLUNGED INTO THE POTOMAC RIVER IN WASHINGTON. AUTHORITIES do not believe there are any survivors AND IT IS NOW A RECOVERY MISSION.
THE SKATERS HAD JUST PARTICIPATED IN A SKATING AND TRAINING CAMP IN WICHITA KANSAS. U.S. FIGURE SKATING RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING, “ WE ARE DEVASTATED BY THIS UNSPEAKABLE TRAGEDY AND HOLD THE VICTIMS FAMILIES CLOSELY IN OUR HEARTS. “ THE ORGANIZATION DID NOT IDENTIFY WHO WAS ON-BOARD.
THE PREVAGEN U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS JUST WRAPPED LAST SUNDAY AT INTRUST BANK ARENA IN WICHITA. IT WAS BROADCAST ON NATIONAL TV. CHAMPIONS WERE CROWNED IN THE MEN’S, WOMEN’S, PAIRS AND ICE DANCING EVENTS. THE BIG EVENT WAS THE FINAL QUALIFIER FOR THE U.S WORLD AND WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE EVENT WAS HELD IN WICHITA.
THE CAMP THEN FOLLOWED THE CHAMPIONSHIPS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, IN WICHITA. (PAUSE ) U.S. FIGURE SKATING SAID IN ITS STATEMENT, “THESE ATHLETES, COACHES AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE RETURNING HOME FROM THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAMP HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS. “
RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA IS REPORTING THAT TWO OF ITS FORMER SKATERS WERE AMONG THE PASSENGERS ON THE AMERICAN EAGLE FLIGHT. THE NEWS AGENCIES IN RUSSIA ARE REPORTING THEY WERE A MARRIED COUPLE, WHO WON THE WORLD PAIRS FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION IN 1994 AND REMAINED IN THE UNITED STATES FOLLOWING THEIR RETIREMENT IN THE LATE 90’S.
THE KREMLIN CONFIRMED THAT RUSSIAN NATIONALS WERE ON BOARD THE FLIGHT THAT CRASHED BUT DID NOT SPECIFY WHO SPECIFICALLY. SPOKESMAN DMITRY PESKOV SAID THERE IS BAD NEWS FROM WASHINGTON AND WE GRIEVE AND CONSOLE WITH THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS WHO DIED IN THIS PLANE CRASH. I’M CN, FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP