Korean-American Teen Figure Skating Prospects, Including an 'Adopted Child,' Aboard Crashed US Passenger Plane

Jinna Han and Spencer Lane Involved in Accident While Returning from Training

Near Washington DC, USA, a passenger plane and helicopter collision and crash occurred, and it has been confirmed that two Korean-American teenage figure skaters were on board the passenger plane.

A passenger plane-helicopter collision and crash occurred near Washington DC, USA. It has been confirmed that two Korean-American teenage figure skaters were on board the passenger plane. Photo by Gina Han. Boston Skating Club Instagram.

According to Yonhap News, citing a Korean government consular official in charge of Korean-American affairs, "After confirming with the club of teenage female figure skater Jinna Han, who was on the crashed passenger plane on the 30th, and the local Korean community, it was identified that she is of Korean descent." Since Jinna Han was returning from a nationwide promising skater training camp linked to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, her nationality is likely American. The teenage male figure skater Spencer Lane, who was also on the same passenger plane, was confirmed to have been adopted from Korea to the United States.

In an interview with 'News12,' Spencer's father, Douglas Lane, stated that he adopted two sons, Spencer and Milo (who was not on the crashed plane), from Korea.

American firefighters and police officers are conducting rescue and search operations related to the crash of American Airlines Flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on the 29th. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News

According to CBS News, Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Boston Skating Club, said that their affiliated skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were on the plane with their mothers.

Also on the passenger plane were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, a married couple from Russia, who are coaches of the two skaters and 1994 World Figure Skating Champions. They were returning after participating in a nationwide promising skater training camp linked to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships held from the 20th to the 26th in Wichita, Kansas, the departure city of the crashed plane.