American Airlines plane crash near DC claims lives of U.S. figure skating team members

An American Airlines flight carrying members of the U.S. Figure Skating community collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening. The flight was returning from the National Development Camp associated with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, and included former world champion skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, along with their son Maxim, and several other skaters and coaches. A massive search operation is currently underway, with 19 bodies recovered so far, but no survivors have been found. The U.S. Figure Skating organization expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, emphasizing their thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families. The crash has halted operations at the airport, and emergency responders are actively engaged in recovery efforts. The incident has raised questions about aviation safety, with remarks from former President Donald Trump highlighting concerns over the circumstances surrounding the crash.