Members of the United States figure skating community were on board an aeroplane that crashed near Washington DC, the country’s governing organisation for the sport says.
A passenger plane carrying 64 passengers and crew crashed into a river in the capital after a mid-air collision with a US Army helicopter.
A police official at the scene told the BBC’s broadcast partner CBS News that 19 bodies had been pulled from the water.
It is unknown if anyone survived the crash.
US Figure Skating said athletes, coaches and family members were on the plane that crashed.
“These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,” the organisation said.
“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 US Figure Skating Championships finished on 26 January, and many competitors remained in Wichita afterwards for a training camp.
The International Skating Union 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. We remain in close contact with US Figure Skating and offer our full support during this incredibly difficult time.”
Russian news agency Tass reported that two of the people on board the American Airlines flight were former figure skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova.
The couple, who married in 1995 and live in Connecticut, won the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships pairs.
Legendary Soviet Union figure skater Inna Volyanskaya was also named by Tass as one of the passengers on the flight.
About 300 responders in rubber boats have been deployed to search for survivors, said Washington DC Fire and Emergency Services chief John Donnelly.
“The challenge is access, there is wind and pieces of ice [in the water]. It is dangerous and hard to work in,” he said.
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