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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Some passengers of the American Airlines regional jet that collided with a military helicopter and crashed in Washington, D.C., have connections to the Philadelphia region.
Flight 5342 and the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided just before 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Wreckage from the crash fell into the Potomac River where recovery operations continue.
A midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the plane and three soldiers on the helicopter. No survivors are expected.
Here’s what we know about the connections to the Philadelphia region so far:
Delaware coach and skaters
The wife of skating coach Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov, 46, confirmed to ABC News her husband was on the plane.
Natalya Gudin said Kirsanov was with two youth ice skaters on board the flight.
“I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends,” Gudin said.
Gudin, who also coaches students with her husband in Delaware, said she stayed home to be with their other skaters.
“We are husband and wife,” Gudin said. “We decided who’s going, who’s staying home,” she said. “We decided he would go to the development camp.”
Two young skaters, Sean Kay and Angela Yang, who had ties to the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, were also among those killed, according to U.S. Senator Chris Coons.
“I’m devastated to hear the news that at least three Delawareans died during last night’s air collision. Sasha Kirsanov, Sean Kay, and Angela Yang went to Wichita to pursue their passion for figure skating,” Coons said in a statement.
Last week, the the club posted about Kay and Yang before their trip to Wichita.
“It is a tragedy that none of them returned home to our state. Delaware is a state of neighbors, and tonight we hold all of our neighbors a little closer. My heart goes out to Sasha’s wife Natalia, the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, and every other Delawarean touched by the three of them,” added Coons.
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Gudin last spoke with her husband as he boarded the flight on Wednesday, she said.
“I need my husband back,” Gudin said as she waited at a hotel for further information from authorities. “I need his body back.”
University of Delaware President Dr. Dennis Assanis released a statement on the tragedy saying, “The figure skating community is tight-knit, and many of our students and coaches have trained and competed alongside those who were lost.”
“Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all of the victims of this horrific tragedy,” he added.
Philadelphia Skating Club
The Philadelphia Skating Club posted a statement on social media Thursday saying the victims include “beloved members” of the club.
“Everyone is trying to rally around each other, especially for those who were really close to the ones that were lost,” said Regina Barr, the director and skating coach of the club, which is located in Ardmore.
She said one of their newest members, who joined the club, just a few weeks ago was among those killed.
Action News has confirmed that the skater was Alydia Livingston who had recently partnered with a local skater in our area.
“He’s been a long-time skater here and we were very proud of the new ice dance team,” Barr said.
Ice Works Skating Club
In a prepared statement, the Ice Works Skating Club in Aston, Pa. said some of the victims on the plane skated at the club.
“Even though many of these skaters were not club members at our rink, they all spent time training here and competing in our events,” said Lisa Shaw, the skating director at IceWorks.
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