
Olympic determine skater Nancy Kerrigan broke down in tears throughout a televised press convention, whereas, in one in every of her first posts from her new X account, Tonya Harding known as the airplane and helicopter crash “completely devastating.”
Following the deadly plane-helicopter collision above the Potomac River in Washington DC, the determine skating group, political figures, and extra are reacting to the horrible tragedy.
On Wednesday evening, an American Airways regional jet crashed into an Military Black Hawk helicopter close to the Ronald Raegan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA). The American Eagle Flight 5342 — which was touring from Wichita, Kansas to DCA — was carrying 64 individuals on board, together with a number of US determine skaters, whereas the navy helicopter had three troopers on board.
As of this publishing, 27 our bodies have been recovered from the fallen airplane and one from the chopper. Nonetheless, the DC Hearth and EMS Chief stated officers “do not imagine there are survivors.”

Getty/Good Morning America
Capt. Sully Sullenberger Reacts to Deadly DC Aircraft Crash, Speculates What Went Flawed
View Story
The Worldwide Skating Union (ISU) issued an announcement, writing that it was “deeply shocked” and “heartbroken” by the accident. In the meantime, US Determine Skating confirmed that “a number of members” of the group — together with athletes, coaches, and members of the family — misplaced their lives. Nonetheless, it didn’t launch the names of the victims.
In the meantime, the Skating Membership of Boston confirmed the names of the six individuals of the membership and its group who have been on the flight. Teenage skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their moms, Jin and Christine, respectively, together with their coaches — 1994 pairs world champions of Russia Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova — have been on board flight the American Eagle Flight 5342.
Whereas talking at a press convention on the Skating Membership of Boston on Thursday, 1994 Olympic silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan — who’s an alum of the membership — broke down in tears as she reacted to the tragic accident.

WPRI/Instagram
Devastated Father Speaks Out After Dropping ‘Pressure of Nature’ Son & ‘Stunning’ Spouse In DC Aircraft Crash
View Story
Kerrigan famous that the Boston determine skating group has “stood behind” her in the course of the troublesome time in her profession, and now it is her “flip” to “be right here” for the group.
“I would like to have the ability to give again what I really feel like I received,” she stated, earlier than responding to a query about how the group can come collectively even when the game is “aggressive.”
“I feel that there is a camaraderie. We spend plenty of time targeted on your self or your group, should you’re a pair or dance,” she continued. “You are within the chilly — not a lot right here — however loads [of time] — hour after hour — so there’s is like this, you do not have to know all people to really feel that connection and we have been by way of the identical factor, that coaching, that rigorous schedule of falling again and again and by some means selecting your self again up, which is like the primary lesson I feel realized in skating is you get again up.”
“Carry on making an attempt and even when it is laborious, you get again up,” Kerrigan added. “Even if you’re crying, damage, [in] ache, you get again up, and transfer ahead.”
Olympic determine skater Nancy Kerrigan will get emotion on the press convention to debate the deaths of the 6 ice skaters of the Skating Membership of Boston within the DCA plane-helicopter crash. pic.twitter.com/igchvH3onR
— Artwork Candee
(@ArtCandee) January 30, 2025
@ArtCandee
In the meantime, former determine skater and Kerrigan’s notorious rival Tanya Harding — who simply joined X on Wednesday evening — issued an announcement on the platform, writing, “The occasions that happened final evening in Washington, DC are completely devastating. I am being informed that a number of skilled determine skaters have been aboard the flight as properly. Sending my love and prayers to all of the victims and their households.”
1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski mourned the losses in an announcement shared to her Instagram Tales. “My coronary heart is damaged for our skating group,” she wrote. “It is unimaginable the loss. We’ll mourn their loss and ALWAYS keep in mind them. My coronary heart is with all of the households affected — that half I’ve no phrases for.”
“‘Power’ and ‘Love’ will not do it justice. So a lot of our personal have been on this tragic flight and my coronary heart aches for them and for everybody a part of this devastating accident,” she added.
Two-time Olympian Johnny Weir — and Lipinski’s shut buddy — additionally shared a publish on his Tales, writing, “I am praying for everybody affected by this tragic accident. Members of our skating household have been on that flight returning dwelling from Nationals in Wichita. We mourn their loss and pray for his or her households and family members.”
Adam Rippon wrote, “Unbelieveable ,” on his Instagram Tales, whereas a number of determine skaters who’re presently on Staff USA shared that they have been on different flights from Wichita.
The occasions that happened final evening in Washington, DC are completely devastating.
I am being informed that a number of skilled determine skaters have been aboard the flight as properly.
Sending my love and prayers to all of the victims and their households.
— Tonya Harding (@itstonyaharding) January 30, 2025
@itstonyaharding
Christina Carrerira wrote on her Tales, “Hello everybody, Anthony and I have been included in a listing of presumed individuals onboard the American Airways flight. We’ve been getting numerous messages of concern, we weren’t on that flight, we’re each dwelling protected. Our hearts break this morning for all of the households affected by this, our ideas and prayers are with them.”
Kaitlin Hawayek stated she “took an early flight out” from Wichita, writing that her “coronary heart it is completely damaged.” “The skating group is not going to be the identical,” she added partially in an announcement shared to her Tales.
Equally, Alisa Efimova wrote on her Tales that she and her accomplice, Misha Mitrofanov, returned from Wichita on Monday. “There aren’t any phrases that would ease the ache from the horrors of final evening,” she continued. “The least we are able to do, is respect every others boundaries and steer clear of gossip and hypothesis.”
Determine skating professional Jackie Wong, in the meantime, posted a touching assertion on X following the tragedy. “The skating group is small – lots of people know one another or know of one another,” he wrote. “What occurred final evening was devastating. Please preserve the households and family members of all concerned in your ideas. Be good to 1 one other.”
Olympic alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin additionally took to X to react to the horrific crash. “My coronary heart goes out to your complete determine skating group after the tragic and devastating loss,” she stated.
The skating group is small – lots of people know one another or know of one another
What occurred final evening was devastating
Please preserve the households and family members of all concerned in your ideas. Be good to 1 one other https://t.co/sC97BAYfuq
— Jackie Wong (@rockerskating) January 30, 2025
@rockerskating
My coronary heart goes out to your complete determine skating group after the tragic and devastating loss.
— Mikaela Shiffrin
(@MikaelaShiffrin) January 30, 2025
@MikaelaShiffrin
In the meantime, President Donald Trump issued an announcement on his Reality Social, writing, “The airplane was on an ideal and routine line of strategy to the airport. The helicopter was going straight on the airplane for an prolonged time period. It’s a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the airplane have been blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or flip. Why didn’t the management tower inform the helicopter what to do as a substitute of asking in the event that they noticed the airplane.”
“This can be a dangerous scenario that appears prefer it ought to have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!,” he concluded.
Throughout a press convention on Thursday morning, Trump blamed variety, fairness and inclusion packages, or DEI, for the tragic accident, whereas additionally noting that “we have no idea what led to this crash, however now we have very robust opinions.”
When a reporter requested why he got here “to the conclusion that variety” was concerned, he stated, “As a result of I’ve widespread sense and sadly lots of people do not.”

Reality Social
Trump additionally known as former President Joe Biden’s Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, “bulls–t.”
Biden, in the meantime, shared an announcement on X within the wake of the crash, writing, “Jill and I are praying for the households of the victims who tragically misplaced their lives within the airplane and helicopter crash close to DCA. We’re immensely grateful to the courageous first responders and emergency personnel on the scene.”
Former President Barack Obama additionally expressed his condolences.
“Our hearts break for the households who misplaced family members within the tragic airplane and helicopter crash at DCA,” he wrote on X. “Michelle and I ship our prayers and condolences to everybody who’s mourning at this time, and we’re grateful to the primary responders who’re doing all the pieces they will to assist beneath extraordinarily troublesome circumstances.”
See different reactions from politicians and politician figures within the posts beneath.
My coronary heart goes out to these impacted by final evening’s horrible tragedy. I pray for many who so sadly misplaced their lives, their households & family members, & the primary responders who’ve labored tirelessly by way of the evening. Could they discover power and solace on this troublesome time.
— First Girl Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) January 30, 2025
@FLOTUS
Jill and I are praying for the households of the victims who tragically misplaced their lives within the airplane and helicopter crash close to DCA. We’re immensely grateful to the courageous first responders and emergency personnel on the scene.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 30, 2025
@JoeBiden
Our hearts break for the households who misplaced family members within the tragic airplane and helicopter crash at DCA. Michelle and I ship our prayers and condolences to everybody who’s mourning at this time, and we’re grateful to the primary responders who’re doing all the pieces they will to assist beneath…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 30, 2025
@BarackObama
Completely shocked and devastated on the information of this airplane crash over Reagan airport. I’ve no phrases. Could God be with the victims and their households.
Simply horrific, unspeakable, tragedy.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) January 30, 2025
@MeghanMcCain
The post Determine Skaters and Political Figures React to DC Aircraft Crash: ‘It is Unimaginable’ appeared first on Allcelbrities.