Figure skating community reels from losses after midair crash
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Figure skating community reels from losses of athletes, coaches and family
The country’s figure skating community mourned on Thursday (Friday AEDT) in the wake of news that young athletes, coaches and family members made up as much as a third of the 60 passengers on the American Airlines flight that crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night.
US Figure Skating, the sport’s national governing body, did not specify a number but said “several” of its members were on the Washington-bound flight from Wichita, where the national championships took place last week. Subsequent announcements throughout the day from clubs, family members and fellow skaters revealed the identities of many of the victims.
A recent photo shows coaches Vadim Naumov, left, and Evgenia Shishkova, who, along with other members of the Boston Skating Club were killed in the crash. AP
DC Fire Chief John Donnelly Sr said at a news briefing Thursday morning, “We don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” and search-and-rescue teams pivoted to recovery operations later in the day. Neither the airline nor aviation authorities had published an official list identifying the flight’s passengers and four crew members by name as of Thursday evening.
About 20 of the passengers were competitive figure skaters or coaches, according to a person professionally involved in the sport who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. The person confirmed that the list of figure skaters aboard included minors.
Former Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan breaks down in tears at The Skating Club of Boston. AP
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs skating world championship in 1994 competing for Russia, were among the passengers. Their son, Maxim Naumov, competed in the men’s competition in Wichita over the weekend, finishing fourth. He left Wichita earlier in the week and was not on the flight.
At a news briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not name the two former champions, but he answered in the affirmative when asked whether they were aboard the flight.
“There were other of our fellow citizens there as well,” Peskov added without identifying anyone by name.
The crash happened three days after the US Figure Skating Championships – the most prestigious annual event on the American figure skating calendar – concluded in Wichita. The week-long event crowned national champions across four categories at junior and senior levels, attracting figure skaters and their coaches and families from across the United States.
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