Two young sisters, 14-year-old Everly Livingston and 11-year-old Alydia Livingston, were among the victims of the tragic collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C. Their parents, Donna and Peter Livingston from Virginia, were also aboard the flight and presumed dead.
The Skating Club of Boston confirmed that the sisters were among several figure skaters on board the flight. Golden Skate, a figure skating news site, was the first to report the heartbreaking news, per PEOPLE.
A recent social media post celebrating their achievements highlighted Everly and Alydia’s dedication to the sport. The siblings, members of the Washington Figure Skating Club, frequently showcased their skating routines online, including on Instagram under the handle @ice_skating_sisters.
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Just five days before the tragic crash, Everly and Alydia shared their final Instagram post, capturing a moment from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
“If you look closely at Alydia’s badge… We were born ready for this but is @usfigureskating ready for this much Livingston at Nationals?”
American Airlines Flight 5342 was carrying 14 U.S. figure skaters when it collided with a military aircraft over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The flight had departed from Wichita, Kansas, on Wednesday, January 29, at approximately 9 p.m. local time.
The airline reported that the plane had 60 passengers and four crew members onboard. By Thursday, January 30, officials stated they did not expect any survivors. At the time of reporting, 28 bodies had been recovered.
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U.S. Figure Skating confirmed to PEOPLE on Thursday that multiple members of its governing body were among those on the aircraft.
The victims included six individuals affiliated with The Skating Club of Boston: two teenage skaters, Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, their mothers, Molly Lane and Jin Han, and two coaches, former Russian world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Additional victims were members of the Washington Figure Skating Club, the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, and the Skating Club of Northern Virginia.
