Skating Club Of Boston Members Killed In American Airlines, Black Hawk Helicopter Collision In Washington

Two young figure skaters, their parents, and two high-profile Russian figure skating coaches from the Skating Club Of Boston were killed when the American Airlines flight collided with the Black Hawk Helicopter on Wednesday night near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

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, an official US Figure skating statement said.

Doug Zeghibe, the chief executive at the Skating Club of Boston, confirmed on Thursday that their young talents Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were among those killed along with coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

“This will have long reaching impacts for our community,” he said during a news conference where he was visibly emotional.

The skating community was left in a shock.

“The International Skating Union (ISU) and the global skating community are deeply shocked by the tragic accident involving an American Airlines flight in Washington, D.C. last night. We are heartbroken to learn that Figure Skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” the ISU said in a statement.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport—it’s a close-knit family—and we stand together. We remain in close contact with U.S. Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement added.

Mikaela Shiffrin, the alpine skier, making a comeback on Thursday after returning from the Killington crash said, “My heart goes out to the entire figure skating community after the tragic and devastating loss.💔💔”

The Kremlin also confirmed the loss of their Russian coaches.

Shishkova and Naumov, the well-known skaters, won the World title in 1994 in Chiba, Japan. They had moved to the US to become coaches, mentoring the youth for the International Skating Center in Connecticut and since 2017 at the Skating Club of Boston.