Thursday morning, Washington D.C.'s fire chief said there was little reason to believe first responders would find any survivors of the crash between a Black Hawk military helicopter and a passenger jet that approached Reagan National Airport Wednesday night.
Now, family and friends wait for answers about their loved ones.
Wichita, Kansas Mayor Lily Wu calls the mid-air collision near Washington a terrible tragedy that will unite those in D.C. and Wichita forever.
Officials say there were 60 passengers and four crew members on American Eagle Flight 5342.
They included pilot Sam Lilley, according to his father Tim, who posted on Facebook that his son was "Doing great in his career and his personal life. He was engaged to get married in the fall."
53-year-old flight attendant Ian Epstein was also aboard, according to his sister.
U.S. Figure Skating said several skaters, coaches and their family members were on the commercial flight after attending a camp that followed the U.S. figure skating championships in Wichita.
The organization in a statement said, "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts."
The Skating Club of Boston confirmed two athletes, two parents, and two coaches associated with the club were believed to be on the jet.
"These kids and their parents, they're here at our facility in Norwood six, sometimes seven days a week. It's a close, tight bond. I think for all of us, we have lost family," said CEO Doug Zeghibe.
The two Russian-born coaches from the club were former world champions.
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Other victims are three soldiers aboard a training flight on a Black Hawk helicopter, and the flight crew aboard the airliner.
During a morning news conference, recently confirmed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the soldiers on the Black Hawk helicopter were on a training mission but emphasized that doesn't mean the helicopter pilots were inexperienced.
The CEO of American Airlines said both the captain and first officer on board the jet were "experienced pilots."
