The former Russian world champion figure skaters on board the doomed American Airlines plane that crashed into a Black Hawk helicopter over Washington told their son they are ‘proud’ of him before the tragedy.

Married couple Evgenia Shishkova, 53, and Vadim Naumov, 56, were travelling back to DC on Flight 5342 after attending the US Figure Skating Championships in Kansas.

Their son, Maxim Naumov, 23, a prominent Team USA skater, did not fly with them. A teammate claimed he left Wichita on Monday.

According to a report in Moscow, Evgenia and Vadim told Maxim that were ‘proud’ of him after he took fourth place in the competition a couple of days prior to the crash.

‘We are proud of you, Maxim,’ the couple said in a social media post shared by Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti, Russia’s oldest newspaper.

‘He climbed to the podium at the Nationals after seventh place in the short program. This beautiful and emotional performance is the result of teamwork. Maxim has earned his place in the team of champions of four continents.’