Latest news with #Gudin
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Skating Coach Whose Husband and Students Died in D.C. Plane Crash Says She's ‘Lost Everything'
The wife of a passenger killed in the midair collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk Helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, is grieving her late husband, figure skating coach Alexandr 'Sasha' Kirsanov. Natalya Gudin, the wife of the late 46-year-old, told ABC News that she and Kirsanov coached two young figure skaters, Angela Yang and Sean Kay. The couple decided that only one coach would accompany the skaters to the National Development Camp in Wichita, Kan. "I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends," Gudin told ABC News. "We always use American Airlines when we go to competition," Gudin told Delaware Online. "This time they go without me, and all of them are gone." 'This young team – Sean Kay and Angela Yang – they were so amazing,' Gudin said. 'All the judges were so proud and they had such a big future. And what, all on the same plane? ... For me, it's a triple [loss].' Related: Figure Skaters, Moms and an Engaged Pilot: What We Know About the D.C. Plane Crash Victims So Far Kirsanov was one of 60 passengers en route to the Washington, D.C. area when the collision occurred over the Potomac River around 9 p.m. Wednesday night. There were also four flight attendants on the regional plane and three soldiers on the helicopter. As of Thursday, Jan. 30, 27 bodies were recovered so far from the jet and one from the chopper. No survivors from the incident were expected. Gudin and Kirsanov last spoke right before he boarded the flight. They said they would connect once he landed. But she never heard from him, and instead, the mother of one of the other figure skaters on the flight informed Gudin about the crash. Gudin stayed awake through the night in hopes of good news. However, by Thursday morning, she learned Kirsanov and their students likely died in the crash. On Thursday afternoon, she stayed at a Virginia hotel, anticipating more information about her husband's remains. "I need my husband back," Gudin said. "I need his body back." Related: Father of American Airlines Pilot Says Son Was 'Engaged to Get Married' This Fall: 'Devastating' Kirsanov, who was more recently a coach for the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, was a professional ice dancer. He previously competed for the U.S., Azerbaijan and Russia, and last competed in 2004. He then coached and choreographed in his retirement, and coached the UD Figure Skating Club. UD President Dennis Assanis issued a statement on Thursday confirming Kirsanov's death. "I had the privilege of being coached by Sasha. He was a caring, funny, and talented coach. He was able to push us to reach our goals while also keeping skating fun and lighthearted. He will truly be missed by many," a former UD student told PEOPLE. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The two young skaters and coach were returning from the Kansas competition alongside 12 other figure skaters. Washington Figure Skating Club skaters, sisters Everly and Alydia Livingston, 14 and 11, are also among the victims. Six victims were from The Skating Club of Boston: teens Spencer Lane and Jinna Han; their mothers Christine Lane and Jin Han; and coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk
Dozens of people are dead after a regional jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night over Washington, D.C., officials said, the nation's first major commercial airline crash since 2009. The aircraft went down in the frigid Potomac River, breaking into multiple pieces. The flight -- which had departed from Wichita, Kansas -- was approaching Reagan National Airport at the time of the collision, officials said. There were no survivors in the crash, officials said Thursday. MORE: What to know about the deadly American Airlines and Black Hawk helicopter collision There were 64 passengers aboard the plane, and three Army soldiers in the helicopter, according to officials. The soldiers, none of whom were senior leaders, were conducting a training mission, a defense official said. Among those lost in the crash were 14 people who were returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, according to Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director for the Skating Club of Boston. Six of the victims were affiliated with the Skating Club of Boston, Zeghibe said. "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," Zeghibe said in a statement. MORE: DC plane crash live updates: No survivors expected, soldiers on helicopter had night vision goggles The U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that "several members" of the skating community had been on the flight. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said. "We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available." Here's what we know about the victims so far: Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, a married couple, were also killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston. Naumov and Shishkova, who were figure skating coaches, were world champions in pairs competition in 1994. They joined the club in 2017, Zeghibe said. Jinna Han, a figure skater, and Jin Han, her mother, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston. Skater Spencer Lane and his mother, Christine Lane, were among the victims, the Skating Club of Boston said. Alexandr Kirsanov was a coach of two of the youth ice skaters on board, his wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News. "I lost everything," Gudin said. "I lost my husband, I lost my students, I lost my friends." Gudin said Kirsanov traveled with two youth skaters to attend a development camp in Kansas this week. Gudin, who also coaches students with her husband in Delaware, said she stayed home to be with their other skaters. She last spoke with her husband as he boarded the flight on Wednesday, she said. "I need my husband back," Gudin said. "I need his body back." Samuel Lilley, the first officer on board American Airlines Flight 5342, recently got engaged, his sister, Tiffany Gibson, told ABC News. "He was an amazing person. He loved people. He loved adventure. He loved traveling. He was excited. He was young. He was so young, and he was excited about life and his future and getting a dog and a house and kids. And it's just, this is just tragic," she said. Samuel Lilley's former brother-in-law, Greg Gibson, remembered him for his passion for flying and willingness to help others. Samuel Lilley died on the same flight path his father, Timothy Lilley, flew for years. Timothy Lilley flew Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, transporting passengers over the Potomac River from his base in Virginia. "We were stationed in Virginia, and [Timothy Lilley] flew that same route back and forth to the Pentagon, over and over and over again until he retired," Tiffany Gibson said. The family of Ian Epstein, the flight attendant onboard American Airlines Flight 5342, is remembering him as a cherished father, husband, brother and stepfather. "Ian Epstein was full of life. He loved being a flight attendant because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. But his true love was his family. He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother! He will be truly missed. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support we've received, but at this time we would ask for privacy as we process and grieve our loss,' his family said in a statement. DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk originally appeared on
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'I lost everything': Wife of skating coach killed in DC plane crash speaks out
Natalya Gudin and her husband, Alexandr Kirsanov, who coached two young figure skaters aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, had a choice to make before the plane took off: Who would go and who would stay. The couple decided Kirsanov would fly to Wichita, Kansas, to accompany their skaters at the National Development Camp for figure skating, Gudin told ABC News in an interview. On Wednesday night, the Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet and Black Hawk helicopter both crashed into the icy Potomac River after colliding in midair, launching a desperate overnight search and rescue mission. No survivors are expected, officials said. "I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends," Gudin said. DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk The last time she spoke to her husband was on Wednesday afternoon, when Kirsanov was at the gate at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport. "It's time for boarding," Gudin said her husband told her on the phone. They were supposed to talk again when he landed at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. That call never came. DC plane crash: A timeline of the deadly collision Instead, Gudin said she heard from the mother of one of the other figure skaters aboard the flight that there was a crash. Gudin said they should "immediately go to D.C." Just before 9 p.m., while on its final approach to the airport, the regional jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided midair with a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter with three people aboard. Dive teams and other first responders worked through the night in the frigid waters of the Potomac River, where the aircraft had crashed. Gudin said she stayed up through the night, hoping for good news. But by Thursday morning, she learned her husband and their students had likely died. Officials said on Thursday that what began as a rescue rescue mission had become a recovery mission. Authorities had recovered 30 bodies from the jet and one body from the helicopter as of Thursday afternoon, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz told ABC News. D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said they do not expect any survivors. On Thursday afternoon, Gudin was at a hotel in Virginia waiting for more information about Kirsanov's remains. "I need my husband back," Gudin said. "I need his body back." 'I lost everything': Wife of skating coach killed in DC plane crash speaks out originally appeared on
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk
Dozens of people are dead after a regional jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night over Washington, D.C., officials said, the nation's first major commercial airline crash since 2009. The aircraft went down in the frigid Potomac River, breaking into multiple pieces. The flight -- which had departed from Wichita, Kansas -- was approaching Reagan National Airport at the time of the collision, officials said. There were no survivors in the crash, officials said Thursday. MORE: What to know about the deadly American Airlines and Black Hawk helicopter collision There were 64 passengers aboard the plane, and three Army soldiers in the helicopter, according to officials. The soldiers, none of whom were senior leaders, were conducting a training mission, a defense official said. Among those lost in the crash were 14 people who were returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, according to Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director for the Skating Club of Boston. Six of the victims were affiliated with the Skating Club of Boston, Zeghibe said. "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," Zeghibe said in a statement. MORE: DC plane crash live updates: No survivors expected, soldiers on helicopter had night vision goggles The U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that "several members" of the skating community had been on the flight. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said. "We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available." Here's what we know about the victims so far: Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, a married couple, were also killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston. Naumov and Shishkova, who were figure skating coaches, were world champions in pairs competition in 1994. They joined the club in 2017, Zeghibe said. Jinna Han, a figure skater, and Jin Han, her mother, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston. Skater Spencer Lane and his mother, Molly Lane, were among the victims, the Skating Club of Boston said. Alexandr Kirsanov was a coach of two of the youth ice skaters on board, his wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News. "I lost everything," Gudin said. "I lost my husband, I lost my students, I lost my friends." Gudin said Kirsanov traveled with two youth skaters to attend a development camp in Kansas this week. Gudin, who also coaches students with her husband in Delaware, said she stayed home to be with their other skaters. She last spoke with her husband as he boarded the flight on Wednesday, she said. "I need my husband back," Gudin said. "I need his body back." DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk originally appeared on
