Figure Skating

Chicago Figure Skating Club weighs in on DC plane tragedy

At least 14 of the 67 victims of Wednesday's plane crash appear to be members of the U.S Figure Skating community

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Several of the victims on board the American Airlines flight that crashed Wednesday night were part of the U.S Figure Skating community. NBC 5’s Courtney Sisk reports.

Several of the victims on board the American Airlines flight that crashed Wednesday night were part of the U.S Figure Skating community.

They were on their way home from a development camp in Wichita following the National Championship.

"Those skaters are invited to attend this camp because they show promise for the future," said Mike Nardella, president of the Chicago Figure Skating Club.

The exclusive, invite-only camp is intended for up-and-coming youth athletes with talent that could have sent them to the Olympics.

At this time, none of the figure skaters appear to be from Chicago.

Six of the people on board were from the Skating Club of Boston, where Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan is an alum.

"Even when it's hard, you get back up. Even when you're crying, hurt, pain, you get back up and move forward," Kerrigan said Thursday. "It's not easy, but it's what we all have to do now together."

Coaches and former Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov are among the victims. Young athletes Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, along with their mothers, also died in the crash.

"It's a close, tight bond, and I think for all of us, we have lost family," said Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston.

Other young athletes from Virginia were also on board. As of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the youngest victim was just 12 years old.

"The skating world is small. We all feel like it affected us in some way because of that," said Nardella. "Obviously our condolences go out to all the families, not just people involved in the skating community."

It's been reported 14 of the 67 victims were part of the US Figure Skating community.

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