World champion figure skaters, a pilot preparing for his wedding, and teenage skaters heralded as the “future of the sport” are among the 67 individuals tragically lost in the midair collision between a commercial jet and a US Army helicopter near Washington.
Here’s what we know about some of the victims:
Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov
Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, both of Russian origin and married, clinched the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994 and had been coaching at The Skating Club of Boston since 2017.
“Zhenya (Shishkova) started training with me at age 11, while Vladik (Naumov) joined at 14. They were like my own children,” shared a close mentor.
The couple’s son, Maxim, also an aspiring skater, secured fourth place in the men’s free skate at the recent US national championships. He was in Wichita following the competition and was not on the ill-fated plane.
Doug Zeghibe, Executive Director of the skating club, described Vadim Naumov as an “old-school” coach who adhered to the strict “Russian method” with his students.
“You could rarely see Genia without a smile lighting up the room,” he remarked, affectionately referencing Shishkova.
Watch: Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov competing at the Centennial on Ice figure skating event
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Spencer Lane and Jinna Han
After watching Nathan Chen, the celebrated US figure skater, claim a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2022, Spencer Lane decided to pursue figure skating, as revealed by his father, Douglas Lane, to WPRI television in Rhode Island.
In just three years, the 16-year-old blossomed into a skilled skater, qualifying for an elite national training camp in Wichita, Kansas, which Doug Zeghibe deemed “the future of the sport”.
“He was genuinely passionate about it,” his father expressed. “No one pushed him; he simply thrived on it, exhibiting natural talent and consistent dedication.”
“He was fully committed to figure skating,” Douglas Lane added.
Doug Zeghibe of The Skating Club of Boston expressed emotional tributes to the victims.
Just moments before takeoff, Spencer shared a photo of the airplane’s wing on Instagram, as reported by the media.
In another post, he reflected on his long-term goal of qualifying for the camp, describing the training as an “amazing experience”.
Thirteen-year-old Jinna Han also achieved qualification for the camp, which commenced after the recent US National Figure Skating Championship in Kansas.
Both Jinna and Spencer trained almost daily at the Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, Massachusetts, according to the club’s director.
Doug Zeghibe fondly remembered Jinna as a “wonderful kid”.
“She had lovely parents, was a great athlete, a fierce competitor, and was admired by everyone,” he added.
Tragically, Spencer’s mother, Christine, and Jinna’s mother, Jin, were also on board the flight.
Both were “model parents” who made numerous sacrifices to ensure their children thrived in skating, according to Mr. Zeghibe.
The Lane family resides in Rhode Island, while the Han family lives in the Boston area.
The Livingston family
Everly and Alydia Livingston, aged 14 and 11 respectively, who were popularly known as the “Ice Skating Sisters,” are reported to be among those lost in the crash, as per the Kansas City Star.
Their parents, Peter and Donna, perished alongside them.
Alydia, the youngest skater on the flight, was regarded for her enthusiastic personality and unwavering ambition to improve her skating skills, according to a tribute shared on The Skating Lesson’s Facebook page, which aims to educate about the skating community.
Everly, in contrast, was “more reserved” than her sister but “came alive on the ice,” becoming a sectional champion at both the intermediate and juvenile levels, as highlighted in the post.
The family called Ashburn, Virginia, their home and was in flight to the US National Figure Skating Championships held in Wichita last week.
Skating organizations in both Philadelphia and the Washington area noted that some of their young athletes were also on the flight.
Asra Hussain Raza
Asra Hussain Raza, 26, sent a text to her husband, Hamaad, from the ill-fated flight as it neared Washington, stating she would land in about 20 minutes.
Hamaad, 25, anxiously waited for her arrival at the airport but never received a follow-up message, as shared by his father, Hashim Raza.
“Asra was everything to us,” Hashim said, trying to compose himself as he traveled from Missouri to Washington to meet his son.
“Now my son is a widower at 25. How do I comfort him? They were excited about starting a family.”
The couple met at Indiana University Bloomington, where Asra excelled in corporate finance and maintained straight-A grades.
Members of The Skating Club of Boston embrace during a moment of grief.
Hashim Raza recalled how his son vowed upon first meeting Asra: “I’m going to marry her”.
She later earned her master’s in public health from Columbia University and secured a role at a consulting firm in Washington, aspiring to work for the government to enhance public health, as noted by her father-in-law.
“Her mission was to help others, and she believed DC was the right place to achieve her ambitions,” he added.
“Her culinary skills were exceptional – she could cook Indian, Italian, and Chinese dishes. I even encouraged her to open a restaurant,” he continued.
Asra frequently traveled to Wichita to assist in transforming a local hospital, he said.
“She was an incredibly compassionate person,” Hashim mentioned. “She would often just call to say, ‘I love you'”.
Sam Lilley, Ian Epstein, Jonathon Campos, Danasia Elder
Sam Lilley, 28, served as the first officer among the two pilots on the flight, as disclosed by his father in a Facebook post.
“I felt immense pride seeing Sam become a pilot,” wrote Timothy Lilley, a pilot himself, who was in New York when the tragedy occurred. “It’s excruciating; I can hardly cry myself to sleep.”
Sam was set to get married later this year, his father mentioned. The Lilley family has connections to Savannah, Georgia, reported FOX 5 Atlanta.
“This day has undoubtedly been the darkest of my life,” Timothy told the station.
Ian Epstein, a flight attendant known for his lively personality, brought joy to passengers with his humor, his ex-wife, Debi Epstein, shared with the Charlotte Observer.
“He excelled at making the flight enjoyable, lifting the mood of travelers,” she recalled.
Ian was the father of two daughters, one of whom was scheduled to tie the knot in eight weeks, Debi revealed.
Jonathan Campos captained the plane, while Danasia Elder was a second flight attendant, according to various media reports.
Wendy Shaffer
Wendy Shaffer, a resident of Charlotte, dedicated her life to her family, which included her two young children aged one and three, as highlighted by friends.
Bill Melugin, a Fox News correspondent and a family friend, confirmed her passing, sharing a heartfelt statement from Wendy’s husband, Nate, on X.
“Wendy was not just externally lovely but also an extraordinary individual inside and out.
“She embodied the qualities of the best wife, mother, and friend anyone could ever hope to have. Her love, kindness, and strength touched everyone she met.”
A GoFundMe page established to support her family depicted her as a “radiant soul”.
“Wendy was the cornerstone of her family – a loving partner and a supportive, joyous mother to her children,” the organizers stated.
“Her sons were her pride and joy, and she longed to see them grow into the exceptional individuals she knew they would be.”
Kiah Duggins
Howard University confirmed the presence of Professor Kiah Duggins, one of its law professors, on the American Airlines flight.
University President Ben Vinson expressed condolences on X, announcing they had received the heartbreaking news about Professor Duggins’ passing.
He requested privacy and respect for her family, students, and colleagues during this challenging period.
The university is providing counseling services for its staff and students.
Ryan O’Hara
Ryan O’Hara was among the three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk helicopter, as confirmed by a US official.
He attended Parkview High School in Gwinnett County, Georgia, where he participated in a program dedicated to training high school students for military service.
The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) paid tribute to Ryan on Facebook, stating: “Ryan is fondly remembered as someone who would fix things at the ROTC gym and as a vital member of the Rifle Team.”
Ryan was married and had a one-year-old son, as noted in the post.
Inna Volyanskaya
Inna Volyanskaya, a skating coach in the Washington area who was originally from Russia, was also on board, as communicated via a post on X by US Representative Suhas Subramanyam and reports from the Russian news agency TASS.
Inna represented the Soviet Union in pairs skating during the 1980s and was a coach for young skaters at the Washington Figure Skating Club, according to the club’s website.
The club did not confirm whether any coaches or members were on the flight but expressed its deep sorrow over the tragic incident.
A memorial for Inna Volyanskaya at Ashburn Ice House in Virginia, where she served as a skating coach
Grace Maxwell
Cedarville University in Ohio confirmed that Grace Maxwell, who was pursuing mechanical engineering, was a passenger on the flight.
Grace’s father, Dean Maxwell, shared that she was returning to campus from Wichita, Kansas, after attending her grandfather’s funeral, as reported by The Wichita Eagle.
Grace was working on a project aimed at creating a hand-stabilizing device to assist a local boy in feeding himself independently, the university stated.
“Grace had a quiet demeanor and a heartfelt desire to aid others through engineering,” noted Tim Norman, who was her secondary advisor.
Additionally, three other students from schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, and six parents from the district were also onboard, as indicated by Superintendent Michelle Reid in a letter to families.
While she did not identify them, she confirmed that the students were from various schools and that two parents were current or former staff members of the district.
Pergentino Malabed Jnr
Colonel Pergentino Malabed Jnr of the Philippine National Police, who led the supply management division, was among the victims.
He traveled to the US to oversee equipment that the Philippines was considering purchasing for its 232,000-member force, as reported by the Philippine police.
“His unexpected passing is a great loss to the Philippine National Police, where he dedicated his career with integrity and honor,” noted police spokesperson Colonel Randulf Tuano in a statement.
The Chinese Embassy in the US reported that two Chinese nationals were also among the casualties but did not disclose further details.
The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended its condolences for the victims and requested that the US promptly share updates on the search and rescue efforts and the investigation into the accident’s cause.
Hunters returning from a trip
Seven individuals returning home from a guided hunting trip in Kansas perished in the crash, according to a Facebook post by Fowl Plains, the guiding service.
The Fowl Plains team mentioned they had developed close relationships with the hunters over the years, referring to them as family.
While the post did not name the hunters, it mentioned they had spent the previous week on a guided hunt, sharing laughter, stories about their families, and cherished memories.
“Heartbroken is hardly adequate to describe our feelings,” stated the company.
Members of a Maryland union
The crash also claimed the lives of four steamfitters, all affiliated with a United Association union local in suburban Maryland, union officials announced in a social media tribute.
“Our priority is now to support and provide care for the families of our brothers while we gather more information in the coming days,” stated the post by UA General President Mark McManus and Chris Madello, the business manager of Local 602.
Andrew Eaves
Among the three soldiers killed in the Black Hawk helicopter crash was experienced pilot Andrew Eaves.
His wife, Carrie Eaves, urged prayers on a Facebook post, writing: “We ask for your thoughts for our family and friends, as well as all the other families suffering today. We seek peace as we navigate this grief.”
The three soldiers were conducting an annual night proficiency training flight, according to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who noted they were a “well-trained crew”.
Officials are in the process of notifying relatives.
