Latest news with #LukeWang
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘We are devastated': Members of U.S. Figure Skating community on plane that crashed
Several coaches and skaters with the United States figure skating team were on the flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C., that crashed Wednesday night, according to U.S. Figure Skating. The skaters were part of the National Development Team, a training program for top juvenile figure skaters. '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,' a statement by U.S. Figure Skating said. The U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held in Wichita from Jan. 20 to Jan. 26. Some young athletes stayed in the city through Jan. 28 for the advanced training program. Team USA pair skater Luke Wang told McClatchy News that skaters who qualified for the elite division stayed an extra day, after which Wang said several boarded American Airlines Flight 5342. Wang and others were notified by U.S. Figure Skating via text after the crash. 'Praying for all those on the flight from wichita to dc,' Wang wrote on X on Wednesday night. 'among the passengers were skaters and coaches. absolutely heartbreaking.' Another skater, Team USA ice dancer, Ethan Peal tweeted, 'I am in shock. Praying for families and my skating community,' in response to the news. U.S. Figure Skating did not immediately provide details about who from the skating community, or how many, were on the flight. 'We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts,' the statement reads. 'We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.' This is not the first plane crash that the U.S. Figure Skating organization has experienced. In 1961, the plane carrying the U.S. team to the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia crashed, killing all passengers, including the team members, officials, and family members on board.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Several victims of Washington DC plane crash were US Figure Skating Championship contestants
Multiple victims of the Washington DC plane crash were associated with US figure skating, Team USA pair skater Luke Wang has confirmed. 'Praying for all those on the flight from Wichita to D.C. Among the passengers were skatters and coaches. Absolutely heartbreaking,' Wang wrote in a post on X. In an interview on Sky News, a man who was not identified confirmed that his wife, daughter and her best friend, were on board the flight and had been in Wichita, Kansas, for the US Figure Skating Championship which were held in the city between January 20 and 26. Many of those competing remained in Kansas to take part in the national Development Camp, Wang told the Wichita Star Eagle. The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair collision occurred around 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter while on approach to an airport runway. The helicopter was on a training flight, an official told the Associated Press. The precise number of victims is unclear. American Airlines says 60 passengers and 4 crew members were on the plane. Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said. This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The Independent
30-01-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Several victims of Washington DC plane crash were US Figure Skating Championship contestants
Multiple victims of the Washington DC plane crash were associated with US figure skating, Team USA pair skater Luke Wang has confirmed. 'Praying for all those on the flight from Wichita to D.C. Among the passengers were skatters and coaches. Absolutely heartbreaking,' Wang wrote in a post on X. In an interview on Sky News, a man who was not identified confirmed that his wife, daughter and her best friend, were on board the flight and had been in Wichita, Kansas, for the US Figure Skating Championship which were held in the city between January 20 and 26. Many of those competing remained in Kansas to take part in the national Development Camp, Wang told the Wichita Star Eagle. Two of the people on board the American Airlines flight have been named as Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, they were the 1994 World Figure Skating Championship pairs winners. The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair collision occurred around 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter while on approach to an airport runway. The helicopter was on a training flight, an official told the Associated Press. The precise number of victims is unclear. American Airlines says 60 passengers and 4 crew members were on the plane. Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said. This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
