A plane crash in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night has resulted in the tragic loss of former world champion ice skaters Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. The couple, who won the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994, were returning from a competition where they were coaching young skaters.
Shishkova and Naumov had been living in the United States since at least 1998. They were traveling with a group of young skaters, many of whom were children of Russian emigrants. Reports say that a list of 13 skaters believed to be on the flight was shared by a Russian news outlet. Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet figure skater and coach, was also confirmed to be on the plane.
There was some confusion about whether their son, Maxim Naumov, who competes for the United States, was on board. However, another skater, Anton Spiridonov, said he saw Maxim leave two days before the crash.
The U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that the group was returning from the National Development Camp, which took place during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Kansas. They expressed deep sadness over the tragedy and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
The Kremlin also sent condolences, confirming that Shishkova and Naumov were on the flight. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “This is sad news from Washington. We mourn and extend our condolences to the families and friends of our fellow citizens.”
The crash happened after a mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, causing both planes to fall into the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport. Officials have not confirmed how many people were on board or if there are any survivors.
The figure skating community is mourning the loss of these talented athletes and coaches who dedicated their lives to the sport.
