Spouse duo, acclaimed figure skating titans, presumably lost in American airplane disaster
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A tragic incident has shaken the figure skating community as a plane crash occurred in Washington D.C. on the night of January 30, 2025. The plane, carrying 64 passengers and crew, collided with a US Army helicopter and crashed into a river, leaving no survivors, according to authorities.
The passengers on the flight included figure skaters, their families, friends, and coaches, as confirmed by the International Skating Union. Among the victims were several prominent skaters, including Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 world championship-winning pair skaters, and Inna Volyanskaya, a legendary former pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union.
Luke Wang, an American figure skater, confirmed on social media that several skaters were on board the plane and expressed his condolences. Ilia Malinin, the reigning world and national champion in men's figure skating, also paid tribute to those lost in the fatal collision on Instagram.
The skaters and their families were returning from a camp for the US figure skating championships, according to US Figure Skating, the American governing organization for the sport. The identities of all the skaters on board have not been fully confirmed yet.
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were traveling back from a competition with a group of young skaters. Their winning routine was set to Johann Strauss II's Overture to the opera Die Fledermaus.
As of Thursday, 28 bodies have been recovered from the water. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, with air traffic control issues and technical aspects of the collision being examined.
Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected by this tragic event. The figure skating community mourns the loss of its beloved members and stands in solidarity during this difficult time.
[1] Plane Crash in Washington D.C. Kills All 67 People Aboard [2] US Figure Skating Confirms Loss of Several Members in Plane Crash [3] Figure Skating Community Mourns Loss of Prominent Skaters in Plane Crash [4] Investigation Underway After Plane Crash Involving Figure Skaters in Washington D.C. [5] Remembering the Figure Skaters Lost in the Plane Crash in Washington D.C.
- The general news coverage has included reports of accidents, such as the recent plane crash in Washington D.C. involving figure skaters.
- Sports headlines have been dominated by tragic stories, like the accident involving several figure skaters, in which sports figures lost their lives.
