World champion figure skaters feared dead in US plane crash
What's the story
Former world champion figure skaters from Russia, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, are among those feared to have been on board the American Airlines plane that crashed near Washington DC.
They were the 1994 World Figure Skating Championship pairs winners.
The accident took place on Wednesday when the plane, flying from Wichita, Kansas, collided midair with a US Army helicopter.
The flight was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members at the time of the accident.
Official statement
US Figure Skating confirms skaters on board crashed plane
US Figure Skating has confirmed that a number of figure skaters were on the ill-fated flight. They were returning from a national development camp held along with the US championships in Kansas.
"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said in a statement.
A source informed Reuters that up to 15 people on the airplane may have been involved in figure skating.
Additional passengers
Russian media reports suggest more figure skaters on board
Russian state media reported Shishkova and Naumov's son, Maxim Naumov, may have also been on the plane. Maxim had been competing at the US figure skating championships in Wichita.
The Russian couple married in August 1995 and moved to Connecticut in 1998. They used to train young skaters.
Inna Volyanskaya, a former Soviet Union competitor and coach at the Washington figure skating club, was also reported to be among those on board.
Crash aftermath
Unconfirmed fatalities suggest no survivors in crash
Officials are yet to confirm the number of fatalities but hinted there may be no survivors from the crash.
The US army Black Hawk helicopter was carrying three service personnel.
According to media reports, 19 bodies have been recovered so far from the Potomac River, where both the aircraft crashed.
About 300 first responders were working on the rescue mission.