The figure skating community suffered a tragic loss on January 29, 2025, when a mid-air accident above Washington, D.C. killed 67 people, including 28 well-known figure skating figures from the United States. Near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight were engaged in the mishap. Former world champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, adored trainers who had made major contributions to figure skating in the United States, were among the victims
In addition, six members of the Skating Club of Boston perished, as were rising stars Spencer Lane and Jinna Han. This tragic event brings to mind the 1961 Sabena Flight 548 disaster, which claimed the lives of the entire American figure skating squad when they were traveling to the World Championships. The tragic crash has rekindled important conversations about aviation safety, particularly with regard to athlete mobility, just as that tragedy changed the rules governing athlete travel.
The figure skating community has united to pay tribute to the departed in the wake of this devastating loss. Olympic stars Nathan Chen, Nancy Kerrigan, and Kristi Yamaguchi will perform at a memorial event called “Legacy on Ice” on March 2 in Washington, D.C. The newly established U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund will use the funds donated to directly assist impacted families.
As the community grieves, the courage shown demonstrates the commitment to upholding the tradition and the development of figure skating despite extreme hardship.