Tragic Plane Crash at Reagan National Airport Involves U.S. and Russian Figure Skating Community

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An American Airlines flight carrying 64 people collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on January 30, 2025. The jet, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was returning to the airport when the collision occurred. The helicopter was on a training flight and had three soldiers on board.

Among the passengers on the jet were several members of the U.S. figure skating community, including athletes, coaches, and their families. They were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and a training camp held in Wichita, Kansas. Notably, the renowned Russian figure skating couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were world champions in the 1990s, were also on board.

The crash resulted in the aircraft and the helicopter crashing into the Potomac River. Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities focusing on finding survivors. The exact number of casualties is still unclear, but more than 30 bodies have already been recovered. The Federal Aviation Administration and other federal and local officials are conducting the investigation and rescue efforts.