Skating Club of Boston releases statement on collision at airport in D.C.
The Skating Club of Boston has released a statement on the collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army helicopter at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. that has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 64 people.
“Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” the statement from club CEO and Executive Director Doug Zeghibe reads, in part. “Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family.
“Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
According to U.S. officials via the Associated Press, all 64 people aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 are feared dead. Many aboard the flight were figure skaters, their parents, and coaches that had departed a development camp at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. A defense department official told CBS News that three Army officials were aboard the helicopter involved in the crash.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, as of Thursday.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
