U.S. Figure Skating – the American governing body for the sport – has confirmed in a statement that several members of its skating community were on board the American Airlines Flight 5342.
“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,” the statement reads.
“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.”
According to TASS and Sports, which cited sources, Russian figure skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were on board the aircraft that crashed in the United States. In the USA, Shishkova and Naumov coached skaters. Together, they represented Russia and the USSR in competition, winning the World Championship.
A law enforcement source confirms that 19 bodies have been recovered so far.
The BBC’s US partner CBS news reported that the jet split into several parts and is currently 5-8 feet (152-243 cm) deep in the water.
Now, one of the two black boxes appears to have been discovered by the dive team.
According to CBS, Baggage is among the items that divers have retrieved thus far after gaining some access.
A Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines aircraft collided in midair in Washington, DC, and crashed into the Potomac River. There were four crew members and 60 passengers on the plane, which was traveling from Wichita, Kansas. The helicopter included three soldiers.
Around 21:00 local time, the crash occurred close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, claims to have been informed about the “horrible accident” and queries why the chopper failed to “go up or down.”