Latest news with #Jinna
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
LI figure skater mourns DC plane crash victims — including ‘baby skating sister': ‘Like a really bad nightmare'
A Long Island figure skater revealed the devastating moment she learned five people she knew including her 'baby skating sister' were aboard the doomed American Airlines flight Wednesday night. Audrey Shin, a Smithtown native, woke up Thursday morning to the heartbreaking news of the mid-air collision between Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The 20-year-old competed with her fellow skaters at the National Development Camp during the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kan. last week but flew home a few days earlier than some of the other athletes. Shin says she knew at least five peers were booked for the return flight to Washington DC, and immediately began making phone calls, News 12 Long Island reported. Some of the calls went unanswered as Shin started to fear the worst. Her fears became reality when the Skating Club of Boston released the names of its members who were onboard the flight. 'I have no words. It's been an extremely difficult morning. Praying for everyone that was involved in this crash,' Shin wrote on her Instagram Story underneath the post from the skating club. The Boston-area passengers included Jinna Han and her mother Jin, Spencer Lane and his mother Christine, and a husband and wife coaching duo and 1994 World Champion pair Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. Shin said seeing 13-year-old Jinna's name on the list of victims left her 'heartbroken.' 'Jinna, my little baby skating sister… I don't believe it. So heartbroken right now,' she wrote in a separate post. 'She was on the flight with her mom coming back from the skating camp,' Shin told the outlet. 'I just feel like it's a dream right now, like a really bad nightmare.' Follow the NYP's coverage of the deadly DC plane collisionAir traffic controller's reaction to DC collision revealed in chilling audio: 'Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three' DC chopper, plane crash live updates: No survivors expected after AA flight collides with military helicopter in deadliest US crash since 2009 Timeline of air traffic controllers issuing warnings before American Airlines plane, Black Hawk helicopter collision in DC Trump says collision between American Airlines jet and Army helicopter 'looks like it should have been prevented' The six Boston Skating Club members were among 14 members of the US Figure Skating community aboard the flight from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to Ronald Reagan National Airport. The Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet was preparing to land on Runway 33 at Reagan National when it collided with the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk 400 feet above the river separating Washington DC and Arlington, Virginia. Officials believe all 60 passengers and 4 crew members aboard the plane, along with the three soldiers in the helicopter were killed when the plane crashed into the Potomac River. US Figure Skating confirmed the skaters, coaches and parents were returning from the National Development Camp that was held in conjunction with the US Figure Skating Championships held at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita from Jan. 20 to Jan. 26. 'We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts,' the governing body said.
Boston Globe
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
‘Loved by all': Jinna and Jin Han mourned by Boston skating community after plane crash
The 13-year-old was known around the Skating Club of Boston as 'just a wonderful kid,' chief executive officer Doug Zeghibe said Thursday. " . . . a great athlete, great competitor, loved by all." He spoke less than 24 hours after Han and her mother, Jin, were among six people affiliated with the club who died in a plane crash over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night. The loss of two skaters, two mothers, and two coaches devastated the renowned club whose alums include Olympians Nancy Kerrigan and Tenley Albright. Her mother, Jin, was 'one of the most wonderful, pleasant, polite, smiling — just fantastic, fantastic members of the club,' Zeghibe recalled. 'Never a discouraging word, always appreciative, always supportive of not just Jinna, her daughter, but every athlete.' Advertisement The club is a special place where skaters and staff are like family. One young skater took to Instagram to remember Jinna. 'You always supported me and others in their skating journey, and lit up every room you entered,' fellow skater Sasha Streeter wrote. Jinna was 'an outstanding person, as well as an outstanding skater.' She and her mother 'made everyone feel so welcome at the club. This is truly a big loss,' Streeter wrote. According to the club, Jinna, won the gold medal in the 2024 New England Regional Singles Challenge after also winning the top prize in the competition in 2023. She also competed in the novice women free skate single category for the club, including at the US Figure Skating 2025 Eastern Sectional held here. She finished second in the short program. Such achievement requires a demanding training schedule, but Jinna 'could handle it,' said Adam Blake, one of the club's choreographers. 'She was a hard worker, and she was passionate,' Blake said. 'She really loved the sport, loved everything about it.' Tashema Lindsey-Wright, 48, said her 17-year-old daughter, London, quickly became close friends with Jinna after Lindsey-Wright moved her family to Boston two years ago from Atlanta, specifically so her two daughters could join the Skating Club of Boston. Advertisement Jinna Han, right, poses for a photo with friend and fellow skater London Wright. Tashema Lindsey/Tashema Lindsey-Wright London and Jinna bonded over their passion for the sport, especially during their time preparing for an annual program called Ice Chips, Lindsey-Wright said. 'The club is a very close-knit club. We are all family, because we spend so much of our time there, and everybody knows everybody,' said Lindsey-Wright. 'It's about inspiration and encouragement, and what do I need to do, to do differently and to be able to get to that level.' Lindsey-Wright described Jinna's mother as 'very warm, very loving, very kind.' She said the news of the crash has been 'devastating,' especially for London, who told her Jinna was messaging in a group chat they both were in, while she was on the flight. 'London woke up and was like, 'Oh my god, Jinna was on the plane,' and then we realized that quite a few of our members were on the plane, and it just spread within the chat at like, 3, 4, or 5 a.m. this morning,' she said. 'We were devastated. London has been crying all day.' 'There's just no words for that type of loss,' she added. The Han family lived in Mansfield, where Town Manager Kevin J. Dumas expressed sorrow on behalf of residents and officials Thursday. 'This horrific tragedy has hit home just as the terrible loss to our community during the attack on September 11, 2001,' he wrote in a statement. Han's family could not be reached for comment on Thursday. Jinna was enrolled at TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School, based in East Walpole. Advertisement Spencer Lane, another skater enrolled at the academy, also died in the crash. The superintendent issued a statement saying, 'Our entire school community is deeply saddened' by the students' deaths. The Han family lived in a quiet, residential complex in Mansfield. Debbie Herrera lives down the hall from the family and said they were friendly, often saying 'hi' in the hall or outside in the parking lot. The Hans could often be seen shuffling in and out of the building carrying Jinna's ice skating gear. The family, she said, left her with the impression that 'they were on a mission' to achieve something great. 'They were always just a nice family,' she said. 'Why them? Why anybody?' Shannon Larson can be reached at
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jinna Han, 13-Year-Old Ice Skater Killed in D.C. Plane Crash, Dazzles in Recently Surfaced Competition Footage
American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday, Jan. 29. There were 14 U.S. figure skaters onboard the passenger plane, according to The Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe, including Jinna Han. PEOPLE spoke with members of the skating community who knew the 13-year-old victim. Jinna Han is being remembered for her bright light on and off the ice. The 13-year-old figure skater was one of 64 passengers killed in the tragic Wednesday, Jan. 29 midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard, per CNN. Jinna has been a member of The Skating Club of Boston since 2020, CEO Doug Zeghibe said in a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 30. She was identified as one of the 14 U.S. figure skaters onboard the passenger plane. In addition to Jinna, five other victims were members of The Skating Club of Boston, including her mom, Jin Han; teen Spencer Lane and his mother, Christine Lane; and coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were 1994 world figure skating champions representing Russia. A clip of Jinna performing her free skate at the 2025 Eastern Sectionals, her last major competition, has since resurfaced. Initially posted on YouTube in November, the video shows the teenager smiling from ear to ear as she competes in a sparkly pink dress while performing many tricks, including six triple jumps. She placed fourth in the free skate and fourth overall, earning a berth to the National High-Performance Development Team that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. PEOPLE spoke with Team USA Skaters who knew Jinna at The Skating Club of Boston on Thursday. 'Jinna has an amazing smile. Every time you would say her name, she would immediately give you a smile and [say hello] in her high voice,' Misha Mitrofanov, 27, told PEOPLE. Related: Mom of 2 Among Victims of American Airlines Plane Crash, Remembered for Her 'Unwavering Spirit' and 'Radiant Soul' When asked about Jinna and Spencer's skating abilities, Jimmy Ma, 29, said: "They are absolutely phenomenal. At 13 years old, I couldn't do anything even close [to Han's level]." Olympian Mirai Nagasu also shared with PEOPLE that Jinna was one of the victims she knew. "This loss feels especially personal because of my connection to some of the families," she said. "Jinna [Han] was an incredibly talented skater who regularly interacted with my son, Taiga." Fellow Olympian Nancy Kerrigan, whose home club is The Skating Club of Boston, told PEOPLE that the situation was "heart-wrenching." "Everybody who died is somebody's somebody," she said. Related: What We Know So Far About the Deadly D.C. Plane Crash Involving an American Airlines Jet and Army Chopper In a statement to PEOPLE, U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that "several members" of their community were onboard the aircraft. "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," the statement said. Other community members included Inna Volyanskaya, 59, a former pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union, according to Reuters, citing Russian news agency TASS, Volyanskaya was a coach for the team, per the Washington Figure Skating Club's website. 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. Sisters Everly and Alydia Livingston are also among the victims who were skaters. Read the original article on People
CBS News
31-01-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Young figure skaters killed in D.C. plane crash were "the next generation"
NORWOOD - Two young figure skaters with promising futures in the sport were killed when an American Airlines plane crashed into a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night. Spencer Lane, 16, of Barrington, Rhode Island, and Jinna Han, 13, of Mansfield, Massachusetts, were members of The Skating Club of Boston in Norwood. "We lost family members today," said fellow skater Misha Mitrofanov. Spencer's mother Christine, Jinna's mother Jin, and world-renowned skating coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova also died in the crash. "The Skating Club of Boston is a big family and even though we all have different coaches, for us they feel like second parents," Mitrofanov said. They were on their way home from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and national development camp in Wichita, Kansas. Mitrofanov and Alisa Efimova won the pairs national title and returned home on Monday. Jimmy Ma, who placed 5th at the championships, said Spencer and Jinna were "the next generation of us." "Championship level skating" "Absolutely phenomenal," Ma said. "If I was their age, back when I was their age, they would blow me out of the water. Even Jinna. At 13-years-old, I couldn't do anything, and she was already ten times better than me." Jinna and Spencer attended the high-performance camp after watching the championship. "These skaters were invited to the development camp because of how amazing they are," Mitrofanov said. "The potential that they showed on the ice and the capabilities that they had at such a young age show that they had promise for the future of this sport." The skaters described a tight-knit community at the club, where they train together six or seven days a week. Efimova said the younger skaters improved every day. "It was their progress that made them stand out personally for me," Efimova said. "At such a young age they showed championship level skating," Mitrofanov said. Efimova said coaches Naumov and Shishkova, who competed in the Olympics twice, were her role models. "Their meticulousness in developing young skaters is almost unparalleled," Ma said of the coaches. "You could tell by their son Max, who I consider not just a friend, but a fierce competitor. You know I look at him every day and I'm like, damn I have got to do better. And that was them, it was all them."
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2 New England children and their mothers killed in deadly Reagan Airport plane crash
Two New England mothers and their children were among the 67 victims killed in the midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight over Ronald Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. Jin Han, her 13-year-old daughter Jinna, Christine Lane and her 16-year-old son Spencer Lane were four of the six with ties to the Skating Club of Boston who were killed in the crash. The families and two coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were flying with other skaters to Washington DC from Washington from Wichita, Kansas after a US Skating National Development Camp and Championship Competition. The two were called the 'future of the sport' by their fellow skaters at the Skating Club of Boston in Norwood Thursday. 'The kids here really work hard, their parents work hard to be here. But I just, I feel for the athletes, the skaters, and their families but anyone who was on that plane, not just the skaters, because it's such a tragic event,' skating legend Nancy Kerrigan said. Local skating legend Nancy Kerrigan cries for Boston skating club victims killed in D.C. crash Jinna seen here in a video posted by us skating … was an up incoming skater nationally … with her mother and father by her side … Debbie Herrera has lived next door to the Hans since she moved to Bonny Lane in Mansfield about 10 years ago. 'They were always together the mother daughter and father,' Herrera detailed. 'They looked like such happy people.' In a statement, the Lane family shared they were devasted by the losses of Christine and Spencer. 'Christine exuded creativity throughout her life, using her formal graphic design training as a jumping-off point for seemingly endless creative pursuits across areas such as photography, quilting, knitting, and more. She brought even greater passion to her role as a mother to Spencer and his brother Milo. She was also a lover of animals, and we lost track of how many dogs she helped place in loving adoptive homes,' the statement read. 'Spencer can only be described as a force of nature. You simply could not stop him if he decided he wanted to do something. There is no better example of this than his remarkable skating journey, which we are heartbroken to see end too soon. He truly loved it, and his ascent from basic Learn to Skate classes to U.S. Figure Skating's National Development Team in just a few short years was unprecedented. We are so grateful that his last week was filled with joy and surrounded by his beloved Skating Club of Boston and the U.S. Figure Skating family.' At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. The plane was found upside-down in three sections in waist-deep water, and first responders were searching an area of the Potomac as far south as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, roughly 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) south of the airport, Donnelly said. The helicopter wreckage was also found. Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and the mangled wreckage of the plane's fuselage. The collision is the deadliest U.S. air crash since 2001. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
