U.S. figure skater Anton Spiridonov was not on the American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter.
“Russian news outlets have included me on a list of presumed people on the flight from Wichita to Washington D.C.,” Spiridonov wrote via his Instagram Story on Thursday, January 30. “I was NOT on this flight, thank you for everyone’s concern for my safety. My heart goes out to all the families affected by this tragedy.”
Spiridonov also shared a video of his dad, Valeriy, performing alongside Inna Volyanskaya. “Dads skating partner,” he wrote via his Instagram Story on Thursday. “Rest in peace, Inna.”
News broke on Wednesday, January 29, that an airplane crashed into an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport and fell into the Potomac River while attempting to land. WUSA9 reported that more than “300 emergency crews” conducted a search and rescue operation. More than a dozen bodies have since been recovered from the water.
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There were reportedly 60 passengers and four crew members on flight 5342 that left Kansas on Wednesday. While the names of the athletes and coaches involved in the crash were not immediately shared, The Skating Club of Boston released names of American skaters associated with the organization, including married coaches Vadim Naumov and Evengenia Shishkova.
“Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” Doug Zeghibe, CEO and executive director, said in a statement. “Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 to 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
The statement continued, “These athletes, coaches and parents were returning from U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp, following last week’s U.S. Championships in Wichita. This camp is for young competitive skaters of tomorrow with the most promise to be a champion of tomorrow. The Club sent 18 athletes to compete at the U.S. Championships. It sent 12 athletes to the National Development Camp.”
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Some of the passengers on the flight were leaving the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which was held in Wichita from January 20 to January 26. The U.S. Figure Skating website noted that a reception was held to mark the induction of the Hall of Fame’s class of 2025.
The U.S. Figure Skating Team also confirmed that “several members” of the skating community were aboard the flight. “These athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,” the statement read.
