A devastating mid-air collision between a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has resulted in the loss of all on board, including six members of the Skating Club of Boston. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, has sent shockwaves through the figure skating world.

Recovery efforts transitioned from rescue to recovery on Thursday, with nearly 30 bodies recovered from the Potomac River. Among the victims were skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, and the mothers of the two young athletes, Jin Han and Christine Lane.

Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, expressed the profound grief of the skating community, describing the loss as "horrible" and emphasizing the close-knit nature of the sport. The victims were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp, a program for promising young skaters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the presence of renowned Russian pair skaters Naumov and Shishkova on the flight. The pair achieved international acclaim, winning the 1994 world championship and participating in two Winter Olympics.

U.S. Figure Skating also released a statement confirming the involvement of its members and expressing condolences to the families. The International Skating Union echoed these sentiments, describing the figure skating community as a family united in grief.