A chilling final photo taken by a figure skater on American Airlines Flight 5342 before its tragic mid-air collision with a military helicopter has surfaced online.
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Several US figure skaters and coaches were among the 64 people on the ill-fated flight, which took off from Wichita, Kansas, on Wednesday (January 29) night.
As widely reported, the small commercial plane collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, as it approached the airport.
According to The Guardian, the aircraft was traveling at approximately 140 miles per hour and adjusted its trajectory to land on Runway 33 after clearance from air traffic control.
In the moments leading up to the tragic collision, an air traffic controller had radioed the approaching military helicopter, asking if it had the incoming jet in sight. Another call followed: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.”
But within seconds, disaster struck – the two aircraft collided mid-air, per CNN.
The devastating impact sent both aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River around 9PM local time.
During a press conference on Thursday (January 30) morning, Officials confirmed that the search has switched from a rescue operation to “a recovery operation”.
DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly told reporters: “We are now at a point where we’re switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
It has also been disclosed that 28 bodies had been recovered from the passenger jet, and one had been recovered from the military helicopter, per NBC News.
It is believed there will be no survivors from either aircraft.
Among the passengers on American Airlines Flight 5342 was Spencer Lane, a member of the US figure skating team.
Just before takeoff, the 26-year-old shared a picture of the plane’s right wing, captioning the post with the flight’s route: “ICT [to] DCA”, referencing Wichita Eisenhower and Reagan National Airport.
Tragically, this was the only direct flight between the two airports that day, typically departing at 5:18PM local time, per FlightAware.
Also on board were 1994 World Champion pair skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, Russian state-owned media reported, per The New York Post.
The husband-and-wife duo served as coaches for their son, Maxim Naumov, who had just placed fourth in the Men’s Free Skate Championship.
It remains unclear whether the 23-year-old was traveling with his parents at the time of the horrific crash.
The figure skaters, coaches, and parents were returning home after the National Development Camp at the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
US Figure Skating released an emotional statement about the tragedy, which read: “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.”
The International Skating Union (ISU), which oversees competitive ice skating worldwide, echoed the sentiment, saying: “We are heartbroken to learn that Figure Skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.”
“Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together,” they concluded.
The Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy provided an update on the wreckage of Flight 5342, confirming that the plane’s fuselage remains submerged in the Potomac River in multiple sections.
“The fuselage of the American Airlines plane was inverted. It’s been located in three different sections. It’s in about waist-deep water, so that recovery is going to go on today,” Duffy stated.
Discussing the ongoing recovery efforts, he added: “As that recovery takes place of the fuselage of the aircraft, NTSB is going to start to analyze that aircraft, partner with the FAA with all the information we have to get the best results possible for the American people.”
Duffy also confirmed that both aircraft were following a “standard flight pattern” at the time of the collision.
