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NORWOOD, MASS. (WHDH) - An official from the Skating Club of Boston told 7News six people from the Boston area were on the flight that crashed into an Army helicopter Wednesday night, believed to have killed all on board.
The Boston-area residents were on their way back from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, and connecting through Reagan National Airport on their way back to Logan, said Doug Zeghibe, CEO and director of the skating club.
“I’m just going to miss them terribly,” Zeghibe said in a press conference Thursday morning.
The Boston-area skaters include married couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former world champions in pairs skating from Norwood. The two were born in Russia and had been coaching for decades since retiring from competitive skating.
Both were in their 50s and had been coaching at the Skating Club of Boston since 2017.
“They’re very much a part of our building the competitive skating program here at the Skating Club of Boston, originating a group class, Tomorrow’s Champions, subscription-based, very innovative in the U.S. and based on what they learned and how they developed in St. Petersburg, Russia,” Zeghibe said.
“Very popular with families, proven success, which is why I think they had so many kids at the championships and the national development camp. It’s a major personal loss, but it’s also a loss to our skating community,” he continued.
Their son Max, 23, also a figure skater, had departed Kansas earlier in the week after competing and medaling.
“Both of his parents were with him as he was competing. It’s well-known, mom was always too nervous to watch him skate. But, his dad was with him. His dad was in the kiss-and-cry, sharing his great performance,” Zeghibe said, his voice breaking.
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WATCH: CEO of Skating Club of Boston speaks on skaters onboard plane
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The four others from the Boston area include teenage skaters Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, along with their respective mothers, Christine Lane and Jin Han, Zeghibe said.
Spencer Lane, 16, of Barrington, Rhode Island, was described as “very cerebral” and a deep thinker, according to Zeghibe. He was participating in a development camp run by U.S. Figure Skating in Wichita after the national championships wrapped up.
“Spencer, in the best way possible, is a crazy kid, highly talented, like incredibly talented — has not been skating that long and just rocketing to the top of the sport,” Zeghibe said.
Doug Lane, Spencer’s father and Christine’s husband, was left in a state of shock at their loss.
“Spencer just, his infectiousness, or just his ability to just go whether he was in his home club in Boston, was just loved by everyone, from the adults running the club, to the smallest skaters, to the people that are competing for a shot at the Olympics, they all just adored him,” he said.
Spencer Lane attended Barrington High School through late 2023, when he transitioned out to pursue figure skating full time.
“Spencer was a talented and driven young athlete with a bright future, and this is an unimaginable loss… We will honor the memory of both Christine and Spencer by spreading kindness, positivity, and unity in our district,” Barrington Public Schools Superintendent Robert Wargo said in a statement.
Christine Lane worked at the Barrington office of Residential Properties. The company released a statement Thursday regarding the crash.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the tragic news of the accident involving Christine Lane. Though she was a recent addition to our company, she quickly became a cherished member of our team. Christine’s love and dedication to her children, and her support of her son Spencer’s passion for figure skating, is truly inspiring,” wrote Ian Barnacle, sales manager at the Barrington office.
Doug Lane said it was easy for his wife to connect with others.
“She just was one of those people who could plug in anywhere and just connect with people and build a real bond,” he said.
Zeghibe praised Jinna Han, of Mansfield, as a hardworking skater.
“Jinna, just a wonderful kid. Wonderful parents. Great athlete, great competitor, loved by all,” he continued.
The mother of one of Jinna’s clubmates described her as a “shining star” with a very promising future.
Those who followed Jinna’s skating career says she was a gifted performer, who had “the it factor.”
“Her head was up, and she was presenting her choreography well to the stands,” said freelance figure skating journalist Kat Cornetta. “People really raved about her.”
Jinna’s coach says she had talent and wisdom far beyond her age. She remembers how she would power through grueling training days, sometimes spending 12 hours on the ice .
“Her dream was [the] Olympics,” said Olga Ganichera, one of her coaches. “She was good enough. Jinna’s nickname was ‘Jinna Starina.’ She was a little star.”
Both teens attended virtual school with TEC Connections Academy, so they could pursue their passion for skating.
Their school sharing a statement, reading in part, “Our entire community is deeply saddened by the loss of our two students, and our hearts go our to their families, friends, and all those impacted by this devastating loss.”
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WATCH: Spencer Lane’s father speaks on loss of son and wife
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Zeghibe said the figure skating community experienced a tragic loss in 1961 when a Boeing 707 carrying 18 members of the American team crashed on its way to the world championships in Czechoslovakia.
The plane crashed on approach to Brussels, Belgium, killing all 72 people onboard, the Associated Press reported.
“Almost half of everybody onboard that plane were from this club,” Zeghibe said. “It had long-reaching implications for this skating club and for this sport in this country, because when you lose coaches like this, you lose the future of the sport, as well.”
Zeghibe said the club was still building itself back up following the 1961 tragedy when this crash took place.
He said he was left scrambling to gather details about who was on the plane.
“I can say when this story started to break and the news of this came out last night, it was a long night for us all, just trying to get accurate information — who was on the plane, who wasn’t on the plane, where are the dads, are there any survivors?” Zeghibe said.
Now, as the Skating Club of Boston awaits more information about Wednesday’s crash, figure skaters from across the country and the world have been sending their support, Zeghibe said.
“It strikes me as life, you know, it’s senseless, but accidents happen. I think for me, personally, I’d rather have something like this happen in an accident than a terrorist activity or somebody deliberately trying to cause harm,” Zeghibe said. “It somehow makes it easier to accept that it was an accident.”
Boston is set to host this year’s world championships in March at TD Garden.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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