Community Mourns Young Ice Skating Duo Among US Plane Crash Victims
A tragic plane crash near Washington, D.C., has claimed the lives of several individuals, including promising young figure skaters and esteemed coaches. Among the victims were 16-year-old ice dancing partners Emma Johnson and Alexei Petrov, who were traveling with their mothers to a national competition. Both skaters were celebrated for their exceptional talent and were considered rising stars in the figure skating community.
The crash also resulted in the deaths of former world champion pair skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who had transitioned into coaching after their competitive careers. They were accompanying their students to the same competition.
In total, 67 individuals perished in the collision between the American Airlines flight and a military helicopter over the Potomac River. The incident has sent shockwaves through the figure skating community, evoking memories of the 1961 tragedy that claimed the entire U.S. figure skating team.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the collision.
