Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski.Photo:Kelsey McNeal/ABC via Getty; JB Lacroix/WireImage
Kelsey McNeal/ABC via Getty; JB Lacroix/WireImage
The figure skating community, includingJohnny WeirandTara Lipinski, are in mourning following thedevastating American Airlines crash.
While commentating on the pairs final at the European Figure Skating Championships on Thursday, Jan. 30, Weir and Lipinski broke down while discussing the tragic collision that occurred just a day priorbetween American Airlines flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopterover the Potomac River in the Washington, D.C. area.
The passenger plane had 64 people on board, includingnumerous figure skaters and coachess, while the military aircraft had three soldiers.Officials have announced that there are no survivors from the crash.
Scene of airplane collision.Andrew Harnik/Getty
Andrew Harnik/Getty
Weir and Lipinski discussed the incident as a moment of silence was held before the pairs final, which took place in Tallinn, Estonia.
After he finished, Lipinski, 42, cried and called the situation “unimaginable.”
“My heart is completely broken for our skating community, their families and loved ones. My heart is with all the families affected and that’s the part I have no words for. It will not do it justice,” she said, adding that the “skating community will never be the same,” but the victims will always be remembered.
Tara Lipinski speaks out about American Airlines crash.Tara Lipinski/Instagram
Tara Lipinski/Instagram
While Weir said they were determined “to make sure that everyone’s spirit lives on,” he shared that it was “a tremendous loss that our community feels.”
In a press conference on Thursday, Doug Zeghibe, CEO of The Skating Club of Boston,said the American Airlines plane had fourteen U.S. figure skaters, including six members of The Skating Club of Boston.
The victims from The Skating Club of Boston were identified as two teens,Spencer Laneand Jinna Han, their mothers, Christine Lane and Jin Han, and two coaches,Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 world pairs champions who helped train young ice skaters.
Shiskova and Naumov previously won five medals at the European Championships, the event that Weir and Lipinski were commentating on.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
According toReuters, citing Russian news agency TASS, Inna Volyanskaya, 59, a former pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union, was also on the plane. Volyanskaya was a coach for the team, per the Washington Figure Skating Club’swebsite. SistersEverly and Alydia Livingston, 14 and 11, are also among the victims who were skaters.
source: people.com
