Viral Report Claimed Figure Skater Scheduled to Fly on Doomed American Airlines Flight Was Banned From Boarding Because His Dog Was Too Large

A viral report that multiple news outlets picked up said a figure skater scheduled to fly on the doomed American Airlines flight was banned from boarding because his dog was too large to fit in a carrier. However, the claim was debunked after a reporter spoke to the skater directly and he clarified that he was actually flying to Atlanta, not DC.

Fox News, the Daily Mail and The Daily Beast reported Jon Maravilla was stopped from boarding the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, DC Thursday night, hours before it collided with an Army helicopter. However, the Daily Beast amended its story after speaking to Maravilla directly, prompting other outlets to follow suit.

The false report appears to have originated with a Russian state-run media agency, RIA Novosti. "American figure skater John Maravilla told RIA Novosti that he was not allowed onto the plane that crashed at the airport because of his dog," the post claimed. When speaking with The Daily Beast, Maravilla made no mention of contact with RIA Novosti or any other news outlet.

Maravilla's private Instagram story—an image from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport captioned "Not allowed past gate to board flight...get me tf out of Kansas please,"—seemed to verify what RIA Novosti reported. Media outlets quickly picked the story up, unaware that Maravilla's missed flight was actually headed to Atlanta.

While Maravilla's 14-hour drive was not the life-saving detour reported, the tragic crash still hits close to home. Many of the figure skaters aboard the American Airlines flight to DC were his friends, he told The Daily Mail.

"I still can't believe it," Maravilla said. "I was just with them watching them have lots of fun and just enjoying their time."

This story has been updated to reflect corrected details regarding Maravilla's intended flight.