Figure skating Olympian Nancy Kerrigan broke down during a live interview following the tragic crash of the American Airlines plane that took place on Wednesday, January 29. Of all the fatal victims, 14 of them were part of the Skating Club of Boston, a club Kerrigan was also part of.
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According to PEOPLE, the 14 Boston skating club victims were coming back from a national development camp after the U.S. Championships took place in Wichita, Kansas, confirmed by Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe. Among the victims are skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, and World Champions and married couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Kerrigan spoke with Boston 25 News on Thursday, January 30, a day after the fatal crash took place. Alongside her stood representatives of the Skating Club of Boston. "I just wanted to be here and be part of our community," she told the outlet.
She said how she was unable to sleep on Wednesday night as she was watching the crash's coverage. "And then when you find out you know some of the people on the plane, it's an even bigger blow," Kerrigan said. "We just wish them well, the families, the courage and the strength to make the next steps."
"We've been through tragedies before as Americans, as people, and we are strong, and I guess it's how we respond to it. Even when it's hard, you get back up. It's not easy, but that's what we have to do together."
Nancy Kerrigan then offered further words of support for all the athletes, their families, and all the people who were on the American Airlines plane on Wednesday night. "It's just such a tragic event," she concluded.
Fatal Tragedy
Around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29, American Airlines flight 5342 crashed into a US Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River. The plane departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was close to Ronald Reagon Washington National Airport. A total of 64 people were aboard the plane, including 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were inside the helicopter.
It was confirmed by President Donald Trump on Thursday, January 30, that there were no survivors. Since then, according to CBS News, approximately 40 bodies have been recovered from the waters of the Potomac River.
