Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding calls loss in airline collision ‘absolutely devastating’

Two-time U.S. Olympian Tonya Harding joined galore others successful the fig skating assemblage to talk retired aft it was revealed that respective members of U.S. Figure Skating were among the victims feared dormant pursuing an American Airlines collision with an Army chopper precocious Wednesday night. 

Harding, who had joined X conscionable a time earlier, posted a connection successful effect to the "devastating" quality that 67 radical connected board American Airlines Flight 5342 and a UH-60 Black Hawk chopper were killed during a collision adjacent Reagan Washington National Airport, adjacent D.C., astatine astir 9 p.m. section time. 

Figure Skater Tonya Harding of the United States competes successful a fig skating contention circa 1992. (Photo by Focus connected Sport/Getty Images) (Focus connected Sport)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"The events that took spot past nighttime successful Washington, DC are perfectly devastating," Harding’s station read.  

"I'm being told that several professional fig skaters were aboard the formation arsenic well. Sending my emotion and prayers to each the victims and their families." 

First responders recovered astatine slightest 28 bodies from the icy waters of the Potomac River connected Thursday. Officials said determination were 64 radical connected committee the commercialized flight, including 4 unit members. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.  

FIGURE SKATING COMMUNITY MOURNS VICTIMS OF DEADLY PLANE CRASH COLLISION: ‘AT A LOSS FOR WORDS’ 

A U.S. Park Police chopper flies implicit the Potomac River adjacent Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, successful Arlington, Va.   (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

"We don’t judge determination are immoderate survivors," John Donnelly, the occurrence main successful the nation’s superior said. "We are present astatine the constituent wherever we are switching from a rescue cognition to a betterment operation."

U.S. Figure Skating released a connection confirming that "several members of our skating community" were aboard the flight. The enactment said they were returning location from a improvement campy being held aft the U.S. Figure Skating Championships successful Wichita, Kansas, which concluded connected Sunday. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

FILE - U.S. fig skaters Tonya Harding (L) and Nancy Kerrigan debar each different during a grooming league successful Hamar, Norway, during the 1994 Winter Olympics.  (Vincent Amalvy/AFP via Getty Images)

Harding’s station comes a time aft she joined the fashionable societal media platform, a determination that was met by immoderate controversy. Harding’s vocation was notably marred by her transportation to the 1994 attack connected her rival, Nancy Kerrigan, which was plotted by Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.