Russian figure skaters' 'final words to their son' before American Airlines plane crash with BlackHawk revealed

The erstwhile Russian satellite champion fig skaters connected committee the doomed American Airlines level that crashed into a Black Hawk chopper implicit Washington told their lad they are 'proud' of him earlier the tragedy.

Married mates Evgenia Shishkova, 53, and Vadim Naumov, 56, were travelling backmost to DC connected Flight 5342 aft attending the US Figure Skating Championships successful Kansas. 

Their son, Maxim Naumov, 23, a salient Team USA skater, did not alert with them. A teammate claimed helium near Wichita connected Monday.

According to a study successful Moscow, Evgenia and Vadim told Maxim that were 'proud' of him aft helium took 4th spot successful the contention a mates of days anterior to the crash. 

'We are arrogant of you, Maxim,' the mates said successful a societal media station shared by Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti, Russia's oldest newspaper. 

'He climbed to the podium astatine the Nationals aft seventh spot successful the abbreviated program. This beauteous and affectional show is the effect of teamwork. Maxim has earned his spot successful the squad of champions of 4 continents.'

US fig skating has confirmed that respective skaters, coaches and their household members were connected committee the flight, and had been returning location from the National Development Camp which is held successful conjunction with the nationalist championships.

'We are devastated by this unspeakable calamity and clasp the victims' families intimately successful our hearts. We volition proceed to show the concern and volition merchandise much accusation arsenic it becomes available,' the athletics governing assemblage said successful a statement.

American fig skater John Maravilla, arsenic reported by RIA Novosti, said: 'I don't privation to sanction names, but determination were astir 14 fig skaters connected the plane, not counting their parents and respective coaches.'

The determination rider pitchy and the US Army chopper crashed into the Potomac River aft a midair collision arsenic the level approached Reagan Washington National Airport connected Wednesday night, officials said.

American Airlines confirmed determination were 60 passengers and 4 unit members connected board.

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were calved successful Leningrad and competed successful pairs skating for the nationalist teams of the USSR and Russia, winning the World Championship successful 1994.

They moved to the US successful 1998 and worked arsenic coaches.

The mates were reported to person been returning from the contention and travelling with a radical of young skaters.

Maxim, who placed 4th astatine the contention successful Wichita, reportedly near Kansas with US fig skater Anton Spiridonov connected Monday.

'I wasn't connected the flight. People I knew, I think, were,' Spiridonov said. 'Maxim Naumov was not connected committee - helium near Wichita connected Monday.

'He was astatine the airdrome with me, going done information astatine the aforesaid time.'

However, Maxim's parents were connected board, Spiridonov said.

Skating fans person posted heartfelt tributes to connected Maxim and his parents' societal media accounts today.

Maxim, whose parents were his coaches, erstwhile said: 'I privation to convey my parents and my sister who opened the doorway [to fig skating].'

The International Skating Union said successful a connection connected the clang today: 'We are heartbroken to larn that fig skaters, on with their families, friends and coaches, are understood to beryllium among those connected board.

'Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is much than a athletics — it’s a close-knit household — and we basal together.'

As galore arsenic 15 radical connected the formation whitethorn person been progressive successful fig skating, according to reports.

Russia's Mash quality outlet published a database of 13 skaters, galore of them the children of Russian emigres to the United States, who it said were believed to person been connected the plane.

Inna Volyanskaya, a erstwhile skater who competed for the Soviet Union, was besides reported to person been connected board, TASS said. She was a manager astatine the Washington fig skating club, according to its website.

There were nary presently progressive Russian fig skaters connected committee Flight 5342, Olga Yermolina, spokeswoman for the country's fig skating federation, told Zvezda.

'We person to hold for the authoritative lists,' Yermolina said.

'These are radical with different passports who erstwhile performed oregon trained with the USSR oregon Russian nationalist team, but present they are US citizens.'

The level is said to person divided successful 2 and is successful astir 7 feet of water, portion the chopper is upside down and is unstable, according to the outlet.

Images captured astatine the country amusement exigency officials connected boats astir what appears to beryllium portion of the fuselage and a helping jutting retired of the river.

The Federal Aviation Authority said that the jet, a Bombardier CRJ700, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk chopper portion connected attack to Runway 33.

Defense officials person confirmed that the Black Hawk was an Army chopper carrying 3 soldiers connected a grooming flight.