Washington (AFP) – The close-knit world of figure skating was in mourning on Thursday after a passenger jet carrying athletes and coaches, including former Russian world pairs champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, crashed into Washington’s Potomac River. The plane carrying 64 collided midair with a military helicopter as it was approaching Reagan National Airport in Washington DC on Wednesday evening, plunging into the freezing river.
Several members of the US figure skating community were also passengers, the sport’s national governing body confirmed. They had been taking part in a training camp for top juniors that was held after the US championships, which took place in Wichita, Kansas, at the weekend. “U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard,” the national governing body said in a statement. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.”
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Authorities in the US have not confirmed the identities of any of the victims, 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 pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. “The International Skating Union (ISU) and the global skating community are deeply shocked by the tragic accident,” the sport’s world governing body said in a statement. “We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board. 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.
Shishkova, 52, and Naumov, 55, competed at six world championships between 1991 to 1996, winning gold, silver, and bronze medals. The peak of their career was winning the 1994 pairs title at the world championships in Chiba, Japan. They dethroned the Canadian title holders Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, who had deprived them of bronze at the 1994 Olympics a few weeks earlier.
Born in Saint Petersburg, the couple, who married in 1995, were known for their highly classical skating style. They ended their careers after failing to qualify for the Nagano Olympic Games in 1998. After becoming professionals, they moved to the United States to become coaches, first in Connecticut then in Boston since 2017. Their 23-year-old son Maxim Naumov, the US junior champion in 2020, had recently placed fourth in the US national championships in Kansas. It is not known whether he was onboard.
In 1961, 18 members of the US figure skating team died in a plane crash while traveling to Prague for the World Championships.
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