DC plane crash updates: Remains of 55 victims recovered and positively identified

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation of the deadly mid-air collision of American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Blackhawk helicopter, according to a statement from Joint Task Force-National Capital Region.

Ron McLendon II, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, said the U.S. Army and the Federal Aviation Administration will assist with the investigation.

"The NTSB will lead the investigation. We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available," McLendon said.

-ABC News' Matt Seyler

A source briefed on the search-and-rescue operation described a gruesome scene with large numbers of bodies recovered.

Sadly the source had no information on any survivors. But he emphasized that there has been a desperate attempt to find victims alive.

-ABC News' Pierre Thomas

Russian media reported that two Russian figure skaters were on board the American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter outside D.C. and a presidential spokesman expressed condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the plane crash.

"There were other of our fellow citizens there. Bad news from Washington today," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday morning.

Earlier, several Russian state media outlets reported that the 1994 world figure skating champions in pairs, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were on board the plane, though U.S. authorities have not confirmed these reports.

Figure skaters and coaches returning from the national championships were aboard the American Airlines flight that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, the U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed.

"U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C." the organization said in a statement. "These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas."

The statement went on to say: "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."