An American Airways flight that collided with a U.S. Military helicopter leading to probably the most devastating airline disasters in many years hearkened again to 2 tragedies.
On Wednesday night time, a number of members related to U.S. Determine Skating and their households had been on the plane that collided with the helicopter. Not less than six had ties to the Skating Membership of Boston, situated in Norwood, Massachusetts.
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Emergency response items reply to the crash web site of an American Airways airplane and Black Hawk helicopter on the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, on Thursday, January 30, 2025. (Leigh Inexperienced for Fox Information Digital)
The determine skating neighborhood has felt the consequences of an airline tragedy previously.
Eighteen members of the U.S. determine skating staff had been killed in a airplane crash in Berg-Kampenhout, Belgium on their strategy to Prague for the World Determine Skating Championships. Laurence Owen and Steffi Westerfield had been amongst these killed within the crash. They had been thought-about to be rising stars within the sport and had been making ready for an Olympic bid.
There have been 73 folks aboard Sabena Flight 548. The New York Day by day Information reported, citing investigators, that it was doubtless the jet’s stabilizers that brought about the incident.
“U.S. Determine Skating can verify that a number of members of our skating neighborhood had been sadly aboard American Airways Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday night in Washington, D.C,” U.S. Determine Skating stated in a press release on Thursday. “These athletes, coaches, and members of the family had been returning residence from the Nationwide Growth Camp held at the side of the U.S. Determine Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
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View of the scene of the airplane crash of the Sabena Flight 548, on February 15, 1961, close to Brussels after the Boeing 707 plane crashed en path to Brussels, Belgium, from New York Metropolis, killing 72 folks on their strategy to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. (STF/BELGA/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
“We’re devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and maintain the victims’ households intently in our hearts. We’ll proceed to observe the state of affairs and can launch extra info because it turns into obtainable.”
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu addressed the tragedy in a information convention.
“It was actually an honor to have future Olympians and people who are on the highest competitors degree of determine skating, proper right here in our capital,” she stated.
“We had been so excited to have the chance to host the nationwide championship, and even yesterday I had people inform me how great these previous couple of days have been with further people that got here into our neighborhood, whether or not to look at or to take part. So, our neighborhood was actually excited and grateful that all the pieces went properly with the championship. And so proper now we’re simply ready for extra info from U.S. Determine Skating that we will launch. However proper now we’re simply hoping and praying once more.”
Town of Wichita was described as a tightknit neighborhood, which can also be no stranger to tragic plane incidents.
Wichita State College’s soccer staff, flying in a Martin 404, crashed in Colorado in 1970, leaving 31 lifeless. Eight gamers and the co-pilot survived, in line with the Topeka Capital-Journal.
The reason for the crash was decided to be due to pilot error.
“Wichita is situated within the coronary heart of our nation, and immediately we’re grieving. I obtained affirmation this morning that nobody survived the crash of American Airways flight 5342,” Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., wrote in a publish on Thursday on X.
“It is a unhappy day for Kansas and our nation. My coronary heart breaks for the lives that had been misplaced and their family members who at the moment are studying that their household or buddies had been on the flight.
The chartered Martin 404 was carrying soccer gamers, coaches and friends of Wichita State College to Utah. (Duane Howell/The Denver Publish by way of Getty Photos)
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“There shall be a lot to be taught and do within the coming days within the wake of this tragedy, however immediately please be a part of me in praying for the victims and their households. Could God consolation them and watch over all those that are mourning.”
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