Boston Skating Club Grieves Another Airplane Tragedy, Evoking Painful Memories
Tragic crash near Washington, D.C. claims the lives of six Boston Skating Club affiliates, reviving memories of a similar disaster in 1961.
NORWOOD, MA — A somber scene unfolded at the Boston Skating Club on Thursday as Nancy Kerrigan, visibly shaken, addressed the community after hearing of a devastating plane crash that claimed 64 lives, including six individuals connected to the club.
The crash, which occurred Wednesday night near Reagan Washington National Airport, involved a commercial airliner colliding midair with a military helicopter. Among the victims were two coaches, two skaters, and two mothers affiliated with the Boston Skating Club. The group was returning home from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships' National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas.
Kerrigan, a two-time Olympic medalist and former member of the club, spoke with deep emotion, her voice trembling as she expressed her grief. “We just wanted to be here and be part of our community,” she said, wiping away tears. “It’s such a tragic event. We’ve been through tragedies before, and we are strong. It’s how we respond to it. My response was to be with people I care about and support.”
The Boston Skating Club, one of the nation’s premier figure skating programs, has been a pillar of the sport since 1912, making it the third-oldest continuously operating figure skating club in the U.S. This tragedy marks a painful chapter in the club’s history, one that mirrors a catastrophic event from 1961.
Doug Zeghibe, the club's CEO, recalled the 1961 crash of Sabena Flight 548, which killed all 72 people aboard, including 18 members of the U.S. figure skating team. “Almost half of the people on board that plane were from this club,” Zeghibe said. “The loss of coaches like this had long-reaching implications for the sport and for this club.” He added, “It’s been a long time rebuilding, and it’s only now, nearly 60 years later, that we’ve started to emerge from the shadow of that tragedy. This is particularly devastating.”
Kerrigan, who herself faced a personal tragedy before the 1994 Winter Olympics when she was attacked prior to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, reflected on the power of community support. “Going through something tragic, not like this but myself, the community stood behind me. I’m grateful for that, and so it’s my turn now to hopefully be here.”
The victims identified in the crash include skaters Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, along with their mothers, Christine Lane and Jin Han. Two respected former Russian world champion coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were also among the dead. The two had been with the club for years, helping develop young talent after retiring from competitive skating.
Elin Schran, founder of Joy Skate Productions and a close collaborator with the club, remembered Spencer Lane fondly. “He came to me smiling, ear to ear, saying, ‘I get it now. I understand,’ after his first professional show last December,” Schran recalled. “He had begun to discover this connection with the audience, and the joy of sharing his gift with others.”
Shishkova and Naumov, both retired from competition, had been coaching at the Boston Skating Club since moving to the U.S. in 1998. They were known for their dedication to nurturing young talent.
In a quiet moment on the rink Thursday, Tenley Albright, a Boston Skating Club alum and two-time world champion, spoke of the profound sadness shared by the community. “I can’t believe it happened,” Albright said, gesturing to the empty rink. “The coaches always stood at that entrance, and the skaters would fly across the ice, inspiring all of us. It’s just terrible, and we need to be together.”
As the Boston Skating Club grapples with the immense loss, Paul George, a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Foundation, offered a message of resilience. “We will honor the athletes, honor the families,” George said. “But we will also encourage people to return to the ice, to get back to their lives. We will survive.”