When the tragic incident happened, athlete Jinna Han and her mother were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and a National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas.
Jinna Han, a 13-year-old figure skater from Mansfield, Massachusetts, was known for her talent and dedication to the sport.
She has been a member of the Skating Club of Boston since 2020, where she was described as talented, a great athlete, and a great competitor.
On the 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final, she performed exceptionally well. Her performance earned her a spot on the National High-Performance Development Team.
Additionally, she performed well in beginner-level competitions, performing six triple jumps.
R.I.P. — Jinna Han ID'ed as victim in D.C. plane crash
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 31, 2025
She was only 13-years-old. 💔 pic.twitter.com/v8SvYNMbqi
Tragically, a talented figure skater, Han, along with her mother, passed away in a devastating plane crash near Ronald Reagan National Airport In Washington, D.C.
They were both active members of the Skating Club in Boston and attended the championship, which took place from January 25 to January 29, 2025.
The skating community, friends, and strangers alike are coming together to honor the memory of Jinna Han and her mother.
Their loss has left a significant impact, and many are expressing their heartfelt sympathies through social media, memorials, and personal messages.
Mother of London, a friend of Jinna Hann, wrote,
My daughter London and Jinna Han are both upcoming figure skaters. My daughter London is grieving the loss of her friend Jinna in yesterday’s plane crash. We are completely devastated!
Twitter
The World is Mourning The Loss of Beautiful Souls In The Tragic Plane Crash!
The crash occurred on the night of January 30, 2025, when their flight, American Airlines Flight 5342, collided midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The plane was on its final approach to the airport when it collided with the helicopter conducting a training mission.
The crash happened at around 9 p.m. when the plane experienced a sudden loss of altitude just as the helicopter crossed directly into its flight path.
The collision resulted in a massive fireball, and both aircraft plummeted into the Potomac River.
There were 64 passengers and four crew members on board. On the other hand, three Army soldiers were on the Black Hawk helicopter.
Below are the first few victims aboard flight 5342 from our figure skating community. 💔 Absolutely devastating.
— Ali Reid (@alireidtv) January 30, 2025
– Spencer Lane
– Jinna Han
– Vadim Naumov
– Evgenia Shishkova
– Eddie Zhou
– Everly Livingston
– Lydia Livingston
– Franco Aparicio
– Sean Kay
– Angela Yang pic.twitter.com/gf3enAgdEp
Unfortunately, there were no survivors from either the plane or the helicopter.
Jinna Han and her mother, Jin Han, were among the six members of the Skating Club of Boston who tragically lost their lives in the crash.
They all were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
Other Members Of The Skating Club Of Boston Who Tragically Lost Their Lives In The Crash!
Six members of the club, including two young skaters, their mothers, and two coaches, tragically lost their lives in the accident.
Spencer Lane, a 16-year-old skater from Barrington, Rhode Island, and his mother were also a victim of this tragic incident.
They also attended the National Development Camp, which is a training camp for young competitive skaters with the promise of becoming champions in the future.
Doug Zeghibe, CEO of Skating Club of Boston, talks about Spencer Lane, a teenage figure skater from Rhode Island who was on the jet that crashed into the Potomac River.https://t.co/nucOMP3QoH pic.twitter.com/yqU9OxGoDm
— NBC 10 WJAR (@NBC10) January 30, 2025
Spencer Lane was known for his incredible talent and rapid rise in the figure skating world.
He had only been skating for a couple of years but had already mastered several complex jumps.
His last social media post was a photo from inside the plane, captioned “ICT -> DCA,” referring to the airport codes for Wichita and Washington, D.C.
Christine Lane, Spencer’s mother, was also a beloved community member.
She was a quilter, artist, and graphic designer who connected with people through her creative work.
The crash also claimed the lives of coaches and former World Champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. They were married and both highly respected in the figure skating community.
Our hearts go out to all the families and friends of the victims who tragically lost their lives in the Washington, D.C., plane crash.
May their beautiful souls Rest in Peace!
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Doug Zeghibe is the CEO and executive director of the Skating Club of Boston.
- Coaches Vadim and Evgenia joined the Skating Club in 2017 and were known for their dedication.
