Who is Luke Wang? Team USA skater reveals several Reagan Airport plane crash victims were figure skaters and coaches

Luke Wang, a professional ice skater has shed new light on the tragic accident that occurred at Reagan National Airport on the evening of January 29, 2025, when an American Eagle Flight 5342 collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

In a post on X, Luke Wang indicated that the American Airlines flight had skaters and skating coaches onboard. He wrote:

"praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc. among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely heartbreaking. 💔"

Ethan Peal, a Team USA ice dancer also posted about the news on his X account with the caption:

"I am in shock. Praying for families and my skating community."

The American Airlines flight, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The Black Hawk helicopter, which was carrying three military personnel, was also involved in the crash. The two aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, resulting in numerous fatalities. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident.

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Who is Luke Wang?

Luke Wang, born March 9, 2004, in Ellicott City, Maryland, is a promising skater who started skating tricks when he was 8 years old. According to his bio, Luke Wang loves skating but loves performing in front of others even more. In his bio on the US Figure Skating Fanzone website, he mentioned that music plays a very important part in his life, as he plays the piano and cello and has taught both. In addition to that, he loves photography, nature exploration adventures, and hanging out with friends and family.

Luke Wang partnered with Olivia Flores in 2022 and together, they are the 2024 U.S. Junior Champions and World Junior silver medalists. In their debut season, at the 2023 U.S. Championships, they clinched a junior pewter medal and at their first international competition in February 2023, they earned the gold. In season two, they earned second at two Junior Grand Prix events and qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final. Besides the pair skating, both compete as singles skaters.

Luke Wang is also a musician, having performed at Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He is also a big-time Star Wars fan and oversees all social media accounts, @wasapairs on TikTok and Instagram for his team. Luke Wang graduated from Centennial High School in the year 2022 and currently studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.