Skating Club of Boston releases statement on collision at airport in D.C.

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – JANUARY 30: Investigators walk the grounds of the Reagan National Airport as they work near the crash last night of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River as it approached the Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. The American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided in midair with a military helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. According to reports there were no survivors amongst the 67 people on board both aircraft. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The Skating Club of Boston has released a statement on the collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army helicopter at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. that has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 64 people.

"Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy," the statement from club CEO and Executive Director Doug Zeghibe reads, in part. "Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family.

"Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words."

According to U.S. officials via the Associated Press, all 64 people aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 are feared dead. Many aboard the flight were figure skaters, their parents, and coaches that had departed a development camp at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. A defense department official told CBS News that three Army officials were aboard the helicopter involved in the crash.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation, as of Thursday.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

Matt DolloffWriter

Matt, a North Andover, Massachusetts native, has been with The Sports Hub since 2010. Growing up the son of Boston University All-American and Melrose High School hall-of-fame hockey player Steve Dolloff, sports was always a part of his life. After attending Northeastern University, Matt focused his love of sports on writing, extensively writing about all four major Boston teams. He also is a co-host of the Sports Hub Underground podcast and is a regular on-air contributor on the Sports Hub. Matt writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.