Amidst the tragic plane crash near Reagan National Airport, American figure skater Jon Maravilla clarified his non-involvement in the incident. Initial reports, originating from Russia, erroneously placed Maravilla on the downed aircraft, citing his Instagram activity. However, Maravilla confirmed to The Daily Beast that while he was indeed denied boarding a flight due to his dog, this occurred in Detroit, not the flight's origin point of Wichita, Kansas.

The image above depicts the search and rescue operations in the Potomac River following the crash. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

Maravilla expressed his devastation over the loss of friends who were on board, stating his disbelief and recalling recent shared moments. He learned of the mid-air collision between the commercial plane and a U.S. Army helicopter while in a parking lot.

Rescuers are shown working at the Potomac River crash site. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Authorities confirmed the transition from rescue to recovery efforts, with nearly 30 bodies retrieved from the river. Among the victims were six individuals connected to the Skating Club of Boston: athletes Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, and the athletes' mothers, Jin Han and Molly Lane. Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, expressed the profound grief within the skating community, highlighting the close-knit nature of the sport and the devastating impact of the loss. The group was returning from the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp, held after the U.S. Championships in Wichita.

The image shows the scene at the Potomac River in Washington D.C. after the crash. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)