North Texas figure skating champions responded as several members of U.S. Figure Skating are feared to be dead after their plane crashed into the Potomac River.
DALLAS — Six members of the Skating Club of Boston were among those killed after an American Airlines flight collided with an Army helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River Wednesday night.
The U.S. Skating community was left reeling after learning two young figure skaters, two of their parents and two highly-regarded Russian figure skating coaches died in the crash. U.S. Figure Skating previously confirmed that several skaters, coaches and family members were on the commercial flight.
“We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
The athletes were attending a development camp that followed the national championships, which wrapped up Sunday in Wichita, Kansas. Plano’s Amber Glenn, a previous national champion, won her second national title at the U.S. Championships.
Glenn reacted to the tragedy on Instagram Thursday morning.
“I’m in complete shock,” Glenn said. “I don’t even know what to say.”
Sharing a post identifying the victims killed in the crash, Glenn called them “bright lights in our community.”
Ashley Cain, an Olympian and Carrollton native, also reacted to the incident on Instagram Thursday. She was in Wichita this weekend for the US Championships and National Development Camp, according to her Instagram.
“I had the opportunity to work with many of these kids that are on board,” Cain wrote. “Amazing, strong, driven, funny, caring kids, I can’t even process this horror. Keep your loved ones so close, hug them and tell them how much you love them.”
The Dallas Figure Skating Club also responded to the crash online Thursday, calling the event “tragic.”
“Our love, prayers, and hope go out to everyone onboard these flights and to the families and loved ones of those involved,” the club wrote.
Officials are working to recover the bodies of the 67 people believed to have died in the crash near Reagan Airport near DC. The collision is likely to be the worst U.S. aviation disaster in almost a quarter century, officials said Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
