Fourteen figure skaters are among the victims of the first major commercial plane crash in the United States since 2009, officials said.
Many have come forward to share statements of grief and devastation toward those lost in the deadly crash on Wednesday, including Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director for the Skating Club of Boston, who said six of the victims, including two coaches, two teenage athletes and two moms of athletes, were from the Boston club.
“Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” Zeghibe said. “Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together six or seven days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
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The figure skaters and coaches returning from the recent U.S. national championships in Wichita, Kansas, were aboard the American Airlines flight that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near .
