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Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan broke down in tears during a televised press conference, while, in one of her first posts from her new X account, Tonya Harding called the plane and helicopter crash "absolutely devastating."
Following the fatal plane-helicopter collision above the Potomac River in Washington DC, the figure skating community, political figures, and more are reacting to the horrible tragedy.
On Wednesday night, an American Airlines regional jet crashed into an Army Black Hawk helicopter near the Ronald Raegan Washington National Airport (DCA). The American Eagle Flight 5342 -- which was traveling from Wichita, Kansas to DCA -- was carrying 64 people on board, including multiple US figure skaters, while the military helicopter had three soldiers on board.
As of this publishing, 27 bodies have been recovered from the fallen plane and one from the chopper. However, the DC Fire and EMS Chief said officials "don't believe there are survivors."
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View StoryThe International Skating Union (ISU) issued a statement, writing that it was "deeply shocked" and "heartbroken" by the accident. Meanwhile, US Figure Skating confirmed that "several members" of the community -- including athletes, coaches, and family members -- lost their lives. However, it did not release the names of the victims.
Meanwhile, the Skating Club of Boston confirmed the names of the six people of the club and its community who were on the flight. Teenage skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their mothers, Jin and Christine, respectively, along with their coaches -- 1994 pairs world champions of Russia Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova -- were on board flight the American Eagle Flight 5342.
While speaking at a press conference at the Skating Club of Boston on Thursday, 1994 Olympic silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan -- who is an alum of the club -- broke down in tears as she reacted to the tragic accident.
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View StoryKerrigan noted that the Boston figure skating community has "stood behind" her during the difficult time in her career, and now it's her "turn" to "be here" for the community.
"I want to be able to give back what I feel like I got," she said, before responding to a question about how the community can come together even if the sport is "competitive."
"I think that there's a camaraderie. We spend a lot of time focused on yourself or your team, if you're a pair or dance," she continued. "You're in the cold -- not so much here -- but a lot [of time] -- hour after hour -- so there's is like this, you don't have to know everybody to feel that connection and we've been through the same thing, that training, that rigorous schedule of falling over and over and somehow picking yourself back up, which is like the main lesson I think learned in skating is you get back up."
"Keep on trying and even when it's hard, you get back up," Kerrigan added. "Even when you're crying, hurt, [in] pain, you get back up, and move forward."
Meanwhile, former figure skater and Kerrigan's infamous rival Tanya Harding -- who just joined X on Wednesday night -- issued a statement on the platform, writing, "The events that took place last night in Washington, DC are absolutely devastating. I'm being told that several professional figure skaters were aboard the flight as well. Sending my love and prayers to all the victims and their families."
1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski mourned the losses in a statement shared to her Instagram Stories. "My heart is broken for our skating community," she wrote. "It's unimaginable the loss. We will mourn their loss and ALWAYS remember them. My heart is with all the families affected -- that part I have no words for.”
"'Strength' and 'Love' won't do it justice. So many of our own were on this tragic flight and my heart aches for them and for everyone part of this devastating accident," she added.
Two-time Olympian Johnny Weir -- and Lipinski's close friend -- also shared a post on his Stories, writing, "I'm praying for everyone affected by this tragic accident. Members of our skating family were on that flight returning home from Nationals in Wichita. We mourn their loss and pray for their families and loved ones."
Adam Rippon wrote, "Unbelieveable 💔," on his Instagram Stories, while several figure skaters who are currently on Team USA shared that they were on other flights from Wichita.
Christina Carrerira wrote on her Stories, "Hi everyone, Anthony and I were included in a list of presumed people onboard the American Airlines flight. We’ve been getting lots of messages of concern, we were not on that flight, we’re both home safe. Our hearts break this morning for all the families affected by this, our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Kaitlin Hawayek said she "took an early flight out" from Wichita, writing that her "heart it's absolutely broken." "The skating community will not be the same," she added in part in a statement shared to her Stories.
Similarly, Alisa Efimova wrote on her Stories that she and her partner, Misha Mitrofanov, returned from Wichita on Monday. "There are no words that could ease the pain from the horrors of last night," she continued. "The least we can do, is respect each others boundaries and stay away from gossip and speculation."
Figure skating expert Jackie Wong, meanwhile, posted a touching statement on X following the tragedy. "The skating community is small - a lot of people know each other or know of each other," he wrote. "What happened last night was devastating. Please keep the families and loved ones of all involved in your thoughts. Be good to one another."
Olympic alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin also took to X to react to the horrific crash. "My heart goes out to the entire figure skating community after the tragic and devastating loss," she said.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued a statement on his Truth Social, writing, "The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane."
"This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!," he concluded.
During a press conference on Thursday morning, Trump blamed diversity, equity and inclusion programs, or DEI, for the tragic accident, while also noting that "we do not know what led to this crash, but we have very strong opinions."
When a reporter asked why he came "to the conclusion that diversity" was involved, he said, "Because I have common sense and unfortunately a lot of people don't."
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Trump also called former President Joe Biden's Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, "bulls--t."
Biden, meanwhile, shared a statement on X in the wake of the crash, writing, "Jill and I are praying for the families of the victims who tragically lost their lives in the plane and helicopter crash near DCA. We are immensely grateful to the brave first responders and emergency personnel on the scene."
Former President Barack Obama also expressed his condolences.
"Our hearts break for the families who lost loved ones in the tragic plane and helicopter crash at DCA," he wrote on X. "Michelle and I send our prayers and condolences to everyone who is mourning today, and we’re grateful to the first responders who are doing everything they can to help under extremely difficult circumstances."
See other reactions from politicians and politician figures in the posts below.