A young American figure skater has spoken out to correct the rumors that he was spared from being on the doomed American Airlines flight after it crashed into the Potomac River.
Initial reports had suggested that he was prevented from boarding the flight because his dog was too large.
However, Jon Maravilla has now clarified the situation, sharing the truth behind his near-miss.
Jon Maravilla Was Scheduled to Board a Delta Airlines Flight, Not the Doomed American Airlines Flight
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Maravilla explained that he was actually scheduled to take a Delta Airlines flight from Wichita to Atlanta—not American Airlines Flight 5342, which tragically crashed after a midair collision with a Black Hawk helicopter.
He said that his dog was the reason he was turned away, but this had nothing to do with the fateful American Airlines flight.
Confusion Sparked by Russian News Report
The confusion began after Russian news outlet RIA Novosti mistakenly reported that Maravilla was supposed to be on the American Airlines flight that crashed.
He admitted that he wasn’t sure where the original report had come from, but reassured his followers that he had been on a different flight to Atlanta, which he was connecting through to Detroit.
The Skater’s Reaction to the Tragic News
Maravilla took to Instagram to share his shock and confusion over the news of the crash.
He posted a story saying, “Not allowed past gate to board flight.
Get me tf out of Kansas please,” expressing his frustration.
Later, in a follow-up post, he wrote, “14-hour journey begins,” indicating that he was on a long road trip.
When the news of the crash broke, he was still processing the tragedy.
“I was just with them watching them have lots of fun and just enjoying their time,” he told The Daily Beast.
Skating Community Devastated by the Tragedy
A large number of figure skaters were in Wichita for the US Figure Skating Championships, which had just concluded at the city’s Intrust Bank Arena.
The national governing body for figure skating, US Figure Skating, confirmed that several members of the skating community were on the flight.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” they said in a statement, offering their condolences and promising to release more information as it became available.
Among the Victims: Renowned Russian Skaters
Among the victims were well-known Russian figure skaters Yevgenia Shishkova, 53, and Vadim Naumov, 56, who had won the world championship in pairs skating in 1994.
Tragically, all 60 passengers and four crew members on board the plane, along with three people in the helicopter, are believed to have died.
Authorities Confirm No Survivors in the Crash
The plane collided with the Black Hawk helicopter just 400 feet above the ground as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Jack Potter, the Chief Executive of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, confirmed that there were no survivors.
“Unfortunately, we were not able to rescue anyone,” he stated.
A Preventable Tragedy? Officials Weigh In
The crash has raised concerns over aviation safety.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the crash “preventable,” noting that the helicopter was aware that the plane was in the area.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, however, seemed to point the finger at the Black Hawk pilot for entering the plane’s flight path.
“At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” he said.
PSA Airlines is a regional subsidiary of American Airlines that operates smaller planes on less-traveled routes.
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