U.S. Figure Skater athletes on board the deadly American Airlines flight

An American Airlines passenger plane carrying 64 people from Wichita, Kansas collided midair with a three-passenger U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington D.C. last night. Dozens of bodies have been recovered, with no survivors so far, as first responders continue to search the area.

Several victims on the flight were U.S. Figure Skating athletes and coaches, who were returning home after participating in the National Development Camp for skaters.

"U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.," a statement from the organization said, via NBC News. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts."

Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport closed down shortly after the crash and won't reopen until at least 11 a.m. Thursday morning.

From The Washington Post:

No survivors had been found as of late evening, and police have pulled multiple bodies from the water, according to officials. … The downed helicopter was on a training flight and three service members were on board, officials said. …

Members of the U.S. figure skating community flocked to social media Wednesday night to express their concern for the skaters aboard the flight. A U.S. Figure Skating spokesperson declined to answer how many athletes, coaches and family members were on board.

The military helicopter was found upside down in the water and the airplane broken into pieces, according to a D.C. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The aircraft appeared to have collided approximately 8:47 p.m., according to publicly available flight-tracking data. Weather around the time of the incident was not out of the ordinary. Reagan National Airport reported clear skies…

The crash follows a string of close calls at Reagan National Airport and other airports, beginning in early 2023, that had alarmed officials and the airline industry. It is likely to renew debate over safety and whether the airport is at capacity.

Previously: Two planes crash mid-air near L.A., killing pilot. One lands just yards from woman and granddaughter