A Disney On Ice star was among the victims of the tragic American Airlines flight that crashed on Wednesday (January 29), leaving dozens dead, a US official confirmed. Inna Volyanskaya, a 59-year-old former Soviet figure skater, was among those who perished in the devastating incident. The flight, en route to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, collided with a military helicopter and plunged into the Potomac River, claiming the lives of all 60 passengers and four crew members on board. President Donald Trump confirmed there were “no survivors” during a White House press conference on January 30.
The flight was carrying a group of skaters, coaches, and their families returning from the National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. US Figure Skating expressed deep sorrow in a statement, saying, “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.”
Among the victims were sisters Everly and Alydia Livingston, aged 14 and 11, their parents Peter and Donna Livingston, and their coach, Inna Volyanskaya. Virginia Congressman Suhas Subramanyam confirmed Volyanskaya’s death in a statement on X, noting her role as a coach at the Washington Figure Skating Club in Ashburn.
Volyanskaya, a world-renowned figure skater, had starred in Disney On Ice as Princess Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, and Ariel. She competed as a pairs skater for the Soviet Union in the 1980s and later performed with Tatiana Tarasova’s ‘Russian All-Stars’ ice theatre troupe. After retiring from performing, she began coaching in 2002, specializing in jump technique, choreography, and off-ice conditioning.
Her former husband, Ross Lansel, paid tribute to her, calling her “one of the best skaters he’s ever seen.” He expressed his condolences to her students, saying, “It’s tough because as a figure skating coach, you mean a lot to these kids, and you’re like the individual person for them.” Hockey coach Serguei Kouznetsov, who knew Volyanskaya as a fellow Soviet immigrant, described her as “completely dedicated” to figure skating.
In her final Instagram post, Volyanskaya celebrated her students’ achievements at the camp, writing, “Congratulations to Everly and Franco for making it to the national development camp for their second year! So proud of all their hard work and training they have done to get here. What an amazing way to start off the year!” Her passing has left the skating community and her students heartbroken.
