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A U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp trip ended in tragedy when the plane they were in collided with a helicopter near Washington, D.C. on January 29, 2025.
Among those killed were 13-year-old competitive figure skater Jinna Han and her mother, Jin Han, along with other skaters, coaches, and parents from The Skating Club of Boston.
The flight was returning from Wichita, Kansas, after the event, which took place following the U.S. Championships. Authorities launched a massive search and recovery operation.
Jinna was a competitive figure skater known for her performances in major events, including the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final in the novice women's free skate category.
Jinna Han at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final, dated November 2017, 2024 | Source: YouTube/@USFigureSkating
She had a reputation for strong technical skills, poise, and stage presence. In 2023, she was praised for her standout performances in The Skating Club of Boston's Ice Chips show.
Doug Zeghibe spoke about Jinna's talent and demeanor, describing her as “in it to win it, full of grace, a serious competitor but so nice about it and so supportive of her fellow competitors… just a delight but for a little 13-year-old just full of grace.”
Journalist and skating enthusiast Kat Cornetta posted on X, “I am saddened by the loss of everyone on that DC flight, but especially so by the loss of Jinna Han. She was a remarkable skater.”
She also reflected on a past write-up about Jinna, where she had praised her talent and dedication to the sport.
A Facebook user who identified her daughter, London, as a friend of Jinna wrote, “London and her friend Jinna Han, a shining star lost in the plane crash, will continue to inspire us. London is grieving![..] Just completely devastated!”
Before departure, The Skating Club of Boston had posted on Instagram, “Good luck to our Club athletes that are set to compete at the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships and 2025 U.S. High Performance Development Camp next week in Wichita, Kansas. We are so proud of you, and we can't wait to cheer you on!”
Authorities confirmed that there were no survivors and stated that the search and recovery operation was launched overnight using all available resources.
The president commented on the crash, stating, “We are in mourning, this has really shaken a lot of people,” and emphasized that “the work has now shifted to a recovery mission. Sadly, there are no survivors.”
The Skating Club of Boston, founded over 100 years ago, is one of the oldest figure skating clubs in the U.S. It has produced more than 145 national champions and multiple Olympians. Their new state-of-the-art facility in Norwood, MA, continues their legacy of training top-tier skaters.
The crash claimed promising young athletes, experienced coaches, and devoted parents. Jinna Han's talent and potential were widely recognized, and she was seen as an emerging star in the sport. The figure skating community, families, and friends continue to mourn.
A couple who are skating trainers and former world champions of the sport were also among those aboard the plane.
The plane was en route to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter.
The helicopter, carrying three military members, and the plane, with 60 passengers and four crew members, collided midair before crashing into the Potomac River on the night of Wednesday, January 29.
US Figure Skating stated that the athletes, coaches, and family members on board had been traveling home from the National Development Camp, which took place alongside the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
The governing body also shared that Russian-born ice skating coaches and former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were traveling with the group of young skaters.
The married pair had reportedly lived in the US since at least 1998, dedicating their time to training young ice skaters. They achieved global recognition when they won the pairs figure skating world championship in 1994.
Ludmila Velikova, the coach who played a key role in shaping Shishkova and Naumov’s skating careers from a young age, told the media that 14 skaters and trainers were among those on the flight. Velikova, who was speaking in St Petersburg, expressed relief that the couple's son, Maxim, who had competed in Kansas, was not on the same flight.
US Figure Skating is now in mourning. They concluded in their statement, “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
Officials have not disclosed specific numbers of skaters or released the names of those who were aboard the plane. However, the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, featured athletes competing in singles, pairs, and ice dance.
This year's competition included all four 2024 US champions. These are Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, and the duo of Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea.
On the other hand, sports analyst Christine Brennan has highlighted the significance of the National Development Camp in developing young skaters. She noted that many participants aboard the plane were seen as future contenders for major competitions, including the 2030 Olympic Games.
One of the participants, Spencer Lane was thrilled to have earned a spot at the National Development Camp, a goal he had pursued since first learning about the program. To celebrate, he shared a collage of photos and a video on Instagram, posing alongside fellow camp participants and expressing his excitement about the experience.
Unfortunately, what he most desired has now turned into a tragedy. Just hours before the crash, Lane posted an eerie image on his Instagram story, seemingly taken from inside the ill-fated flight.
The photo, captured through the aircraft's window, showed the plane's wing before it took off. A caption on the image indicated he was en route from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Authorities have yet to confirm the total number of casualties from the mid-air collision between the airliner and military helicopter but have suggested that the likelihood of survival is low.
However, DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly has shared that so far, twenty-seven bodies have been recovered from the passenger jet, and one from the military helicopter. Donnelly added that at the moment, search efforts have now transitioned to a recovery operation.
