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The tragic plane crash near Washington, D.C., claimed the lives of Syracuse University graduate Christine Lane and her son Spencer. They were among the 64 passengers on an American Airlines flight that collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night (January 29). The crash, which occurred as the plane approached Ronald Reagan National Airport from Wichita, Kansas, resulted in the deaths of over 60 people, including several members of the figure skating community.
Christine Lane, who graduated from Syracuse University in 1997, and her son were traveling with the Skating Club of Boston after attending the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The collision, described as the deadliest since 2001, left no survivors, according to President Donald Trump. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and has recovered the plane's black boxes. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
The crash has deeply affected the figure skating community as well. The Skating Club of Boston lost six members, including two coaches and two teenage athletes. Doug Zeghibe, the club's CEO, expressed the immense loss, stating, "Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy."
Recovery efforts are ongoing, with 14 people still missing. A crane is being brought to the Potomac River crash site to assist in reaching victims trapped in the wreckage. The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the cause of the collision.