Ice skating legends break down during tribute for Washington DC plane crash victims

There were incredibly emotional scenes at the European Figure Skating Championships as legends Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir opened the day with tributes for the Washington DC plane crash victims.

Weir, a former Olympic figure skating bronze medallist, opened the broadcast, saying: “As we come on air for the European Figure Skating Championships, we are all hurting today ...

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Emotional on-air tribute to plane crash victims.

“We were absolutely heartbroken by the news that several members of our skating community were among those lost in the tragic plane crash in Washington DC last night.”

With his voice trembling, Weir then read a statement from US Figure Skating.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available,” the statement said.

US Figure Skating confirmed that the athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp that was held in conjunction with the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.

Weir also read a statement from the International Skating Union.

“The International Skating Union (ISU) and the global skating community are deeply shocked by the tragic accident involving an American Airlines flight in Washington, D.C. last night,” the statement said.

“We are heartbroken to learn that Figure Skaters, along with their families, friends, and coaches, are understood to be among those on board.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport— it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together.”

Lipinski, a skating icon in the US, completely broke down on air.

“It is an unimaginable loss,” she said.

“My heart is completely broken for our skating community, their families and loved ones. My heart is with all the families affected and that’s the part I have no words for.”

Then a minute’s silence was held in a moving, yet eerie, tribute.

Figure skating great Nancy Kerrigan was also in tears when she spoke to media at the Skating Club of Boston.

“We’ve been through tragedies before as Americans, as people, and we’re strong. I guess it’s how we respond to it and my response is to be with people I care about,” Kerrigan said.

American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into the Potomac River, with President Donald Trump announcing on Friday (AEDT) there were no survivors.

The plane was just minutes away from landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington DC, when it collided with an Army helicopter over the Potomac River.

In a horrible flash captured on video and seen around the world, the fates of all 60 passengers and four crew members aboard American Eagle Flight 5342 and the three soldiers on the Black Hawk helicopter were sealed.

“At this point, I don’t believe we are going to find any survivors,” Washington DC, Fire Chief John Donnelly said on Thursday after a frantic but futile search for survivors.

Russian world champion figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov are among the confirmed dead.

Their son 23-year-old son Maxim Naumov had competed at the US Figure Skating Championships but he was not on the plane.

Shishkova, 52, and Naumov, 55, who were married, were among the first victims identified.

They won a world championship title together in pairs skating in 1994 and narrowly missed out on Olympic medals that year at the Lillehammer Games before moving to the US and coaching generations of young skaters in New England.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Thursday the pair had been on board the plane, and the Skating Club of Boston, where they coached, said Shishkova and Naumov had been killed.

“We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash,” Peskov said.

Two teenage figure skaters and their mothers who were affiliated with the Boston club were also on the flight.

The Russian skating federation issued a statement on Thursday.

“The Russian Figure Skating Federation, Russian skaters, coaches, judges and experts are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy which has occurred in Washington,” the federation said in a statement.

“All of us express our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have died, and also to the US Figure Skating Association, which has lost talented junior athletes and qualified coaches in this air disaster. Some of them were our compatriots and had made a significant contribution to (Russian) figure skating.”

- With NBC News and AAP