A crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter has killed teen figure skaters returning from a national meet with their mothers and coaches, as well as a group of union steamfitters from the Washington, D.C. area.

They were among 60 travellers and four crew members on board the flight late Wednesday when it collided with a Blackhawk helicopter that was carrying three soldiers. It appears all on board both aircraft were killed when the plane and helicopter collided over the Potomac River, officials say.

Doug Zeghibe, the chief executive at the Skating Club of Boston, said Thursday skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were among 14 members of the skating community killed, along with coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

Among their students is their 23-year-old son, Maxim, a former U.S. junior champion who has finished fourth at senior nationals the past three years, narrowly missing the podium on Sunday while his parents watched at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.

Maxim Naumov flew home Monday. “He had no reason to stay at the national development camp,” Zeghibe said in a briefing inside the rink about 30 minutes south of Boston.

“Skating is a very close and tight-knit community. These kids and their parents, they’re here at our facility in Norwood, six, sometimes seven days a week. It’s a close, tight bond,” Zeghibe said. “This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community.”

Several athletes on the flight had attended a development camp after in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships that ended Sunday in Wichita, Kan., the organization said in a statement.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.

“We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.

“Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together.”

The bodies of all three soldiers who were on the helicopter have been recovered, officials say.

They added the remains will be at Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. That office coordinates the dignified transfer of fallen service members.

John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital, said he’s confident the remains of those killed in the crash will be recovered, but it may take some time.

“I had the opportunity to work with many of these kids that were onboard. Amazing, strong, driven, funny, caring kids. I can’t even process this horror,” said two-time U.S. pairs champion Ashley Cain-Gribble.

The Kremlin also confirmed that Shishkova and Naumov were aboard. They were were well-known skaters in their own right after winning the pairs world title in 1994 in Chiba, Japan. They moved to the U.S. and became coaches, first at the International Skating Center in Connecticut and since 2017 at the Skating Club of Boston.

Skate Canada released a statement expressing its condolences, saying, “Our hearts are with U.S. Figure Skating, as well as the athletes, coaches, and families affected by this devastating incident. In this moment of profound grief, we stand in solidarity with our colleagues at U.S. Figure Skating and offer our unwavering support as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”

Law enforcement helicopters from throughout the region were taking part in the search for bodies, and Coast Guard boats later joined the effort.

The Skating Club of Boston, which is set to host the world championships in March, is among the best-known clubs in the world, producing numerous Olympic and world champions. Among them have been two-time Olympic champion Dick Button, Olympic gold medallist Tenley Albright, two-time Olympic medallist Nancy Kerrigan and Olympic silver medallist Paul Wylie.

Jimmy Ma, who finished fifth at the U.S. championships on Sunday, is among current athletes from the Skating Club of Boston.

“My heart breaks for my skating community and all who are involved in the plane crash. Too much is still unknown. Sending love and prayers,” former Olympic and world champion Kristi Yamaguchi said.

Former U.S. Olympic and world champion Scott Hamilton said there are no words.

“Nothing that can truly represent the devastation caused by the plane crash in Washington, D.C., last night,” he said. “A tragedy that claimed the lives of skaters, coaches, parents and officials. My heart is shattered for our skating community.”

This is the second time a plane crash has rocked the figure skating community.

On Feb. 15, 1961, a Boeing 707 traveling from New York to the world championships in Czechoslovakia crashed on approach in Brussels, Belgium, killing all 72 people aboard. That included all 18 members of the American team heading to worlds, along with 16 family members, coaches and skating officials that were on their way to support them in Prague.

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Ex-U.S. Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan spoke to the media at the Skating Club of Boston on Thursday, a day after an American Airlines flight collided with a U.S. army helicopter in Washington, D.C. Two young skaters from the club, two of their parents and two prominent coaches were among 14 members of the skating community killed in the collision.

Among those killed in that crash were former U.S. champion-turned coach Maribel Vinson-Owen and her daughters, 16-year-old Laurie Owen and 20-year-old Maribel Owen. Two weeks earlier, Laurie had won her first women’s title and Maribel won her first pairs title at the national championships in Colorado Springs, Colo. They also represented the Skating Club of Boston.

The world championships were cancelled that year out of respect for the American team killed in the crash.

Lane, 16, was a sectionals champion who had become popular among the skating community on social media, where he has thousands of TikTok followers. On Wednesday, he posted a video showing him doing a triple toe loop to wrap up the development camp.

“I am so happy to have qualified for national development camp,” Lane said in an Instagram post Wednesday. “It has been my goal almost ever since I became aware that it was a thing. I learned so much new information that I can apply to my everyday life, and met so many amazing people.”

Han was only 13, but already showing Olympic potential, Zeghibe said.

“We watched Jinna just grow up here, from just a tiny little tyke into this amazingly mature 13 year old,” Zeghibe said. “A great performer, a great competitor. And off the ice, a great kid, as we would say ‘raised right.”‘

The European championships are taking place this week in Tallinn, Estonia. They were expected to continue as scheduled.

“The International Skating Union and the global skating community are deeply shocked by the tragic accident involving an American Airlines flight in Washington, D.C. We are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” the ISU said in a statement. “We remain in close contact with U.S. Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time.”

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