‘Beyond devastated’: Eerie scene as skate icons break down on air

Heartbreaking scenes have brought the skating world to a standstill as details of the skaters that died in the Washington plane tragedy emerge.

Figure skating legend Tara Lipinski has broken down on live TV after struggling to voice her devastation over the Washington plane crash tragedy.

Russian ice skating world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov and at least 14 members of the US figure skating team were on board the American Airlines flight that collided with a military helicopter on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT).

A minute’s silence was held at the European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, for those killed in the disaster.

There were eerie scenes at the start of the global broadcast of the competition when a camera filmed the entire minute of silence with a single frame focused on the empty ice rink.

American skating icon Lipinski and former Olympic figure skating bronze medallist Johnny Weir choked up as they read out details about the plane crash before the competition began.

You can watch the devastating TV moment in the video player above.

Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir broke down on air. Photo: Getty, Jamie Squire and X, @awfulannouncing.

“As we come on air for the European Figure Skating Championships, we are all hurting today,” Weir said at the start of the broadcast.

“We were absolutely heartbroken by the news that several members of our skating community were among those lost in the tragic plane crash in Washington DC last night.”

Lipinski, who started skating in 1988 before retiring in 2002, then needed moments to compose herself as she read out a personal statement on air after the minute of silence.

“It is an unimaginable loss,” she said.

“My heart is completely broken for our skating community, their families and loved ones. My heart is with all the families affected and that’s the part I have no words for.

“It will not do it justice. It is so widespread throughout our skating community. We are such a close knit family and I know our skating community will never be the same. But we will always remember them.”

The “Ice Angel” actor added: “So many of our own were on this tragic flight and my heart aches, for them and for everyone part of this devastating accident”.

Her reaction came just a few hours after the US Figure Skating governing body confirmed that several members of the skating community were onboard the American Airlines flight that collided with a Blackhawk military helicopter Wednesday night.

European champion Adam Siao Him Fa of France pays tribute to those involved in the tragedy. Photo: X.

The statement said in part, “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”

The European Championships did continue the competition and several athletes were seen in tears.

Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa paid tribute to the victims of the plane crash after his skate.

He held up a mobile phone to the camera which showed emojis that reflect love, peace and prayer.

“I really wanted to skate this program with all my heart, for the victims, for their loved ones and for all their families,” said Siao Him Fa after posting 93.12 in his short program to boost his hopes of winning a third straight European title.

“The competition itself is no longer important compared to the message that I wanted to convey with the program.”

Figure skating announcers Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir prepare. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Authorities in the US have not confirmed the identities of any of the victims of the plane crash, but Russia’s state TASS and RIA news agencies cited anonymous sources as saying that Shishkova and Naumov were on board, as well as Inna Volyanskaya, a former pairs skater who competed for the Soviet Union.

There were no survivors from the crash, which involved an American Airlines plane carrying 60 passengers plus four crew members and a military helicopter that had three soldiers on board, officials said on Thursday.

Six members of the US Figure Skating team on the doomed flight were affiliated with the Skating Club of Boston, the club’s CEO and executive director Doug Zeghibe said, according to WCVB.

Shishkova and Naumov won the pairs title at the 1994 World Championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice, according to the report.

“This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community,” Zeghibe said. “The [coaches] came to us in 2017 and were very much a part of our building the competitive skating program here at the Skating Club of Boston.”

The group was flying home from the National Development Camp, held after the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. They were set to take a connecting flight from Reagan to Boston on Wednesday night.

Figure skater Spencer Lane snapped a photo of his view from a flight from Wichita to Reagan National Airport and posted it on Jan. 29, 2025. Picture: @spencerskates26/Instagram

This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community,” Zeghibe said. “The [coaches] came to us in 2017 and were very much a part of our building the competitive skating program here at the Skating Club of Boston.”

The group was flying home from the National Development Camp, held after the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. They were set to take a connecting flight from Reagan to Boston on Wednesday night.

Spencer Lane, a rising star in the skating community, snapped a photo of the plane’s right wing moments before takeoff.

The post read, “ICT [to] DCA,” showing the airport codes for Wichita Eisenhower and Reagan National.

There is a massive search and rescue operation underway, but conditions have been described as “dangerous” and recovery efforts will likely take several days.