American figure skating Jon Maravilla set the record right on a story that became viral in the middle of the airline disaster that took place near Reagan International Airport on Wednesday night.
Maravilla told The Daily Beast in an interview on Thursday that he was denied from his flight because of his dog, but he was ready to fly out of Detroit and not Wichita, Kansas, where the doomed flight originated. Media reports from Russia initially claimed he should be on the plane and pointed to Instagram posts from his personal account.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover at Foxnews.com
Search and rescue efforts are seen around a Vraksted in the Potomac River from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, early Thursday morning, January 30, 2025, in Arlington, VA. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP -Photo)
He told the outlets that it was unclear where the reports came from, but he was the heart bridge over the fate of some of his friends.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said to the business. “I was just with them and saw them having fun and just enjoying their time.”
He added that he was in a parking lot when he began to learn the flight that collided with an American army helicopter had stemming from Wichita.
Officials said on Thursday that there were no survivors from the crash and that the mission went from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. Nearly 30 bodies were drawn from the Potomac River.
LIVE UPDATIONS: Military Helicopter clashes by air near Reagan National Airport
Rescuers at boats work as the sun rises, at the scene of the crash, after a black Haukshelicopter collided with American Eagle Flight 5342, approaching Reagan Washington National Airport and crashing into the Potomac River, outside Washington, USA, January 30 , 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
At least six of those who died in the crash had ties to the Skating Club of Boston.
Skating Club in Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe identified them with ties to the club as athletes, Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, two coaches, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, and Jin Han, mother of Jinna and Molly Lane, mother of Spencer, were identified as the victims with Ribbon to Skate Club.
“Our sport and this club have suffered a terrible loss with this tragedy,” Zeghibe said in a statement sent to social media. “Skating is a densely composed society where parents and children gather 6 of 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. By skaters, coaches and parents in the plane, we think six were from the skating club by Boston .
Washington DC, USA -January 30: A police boat patrol the water and protect the crime scene after an American Airlines aircraft collided in Midair with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, DC US on January 30, 2025. ‘A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 Regional Jet collided in Midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on the approach to runway 33 in Reagan Washington National Airport around 10am. 21 local time, ‘the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“These athletes, coaches, parents returned from us art skating national development camp after last week’s US championships in Wichita. This camp is for young competitive skaters of tomorrow compete at the US championships.
