Kansans are among the victims of a commercial jetliner crash in Washington DC on Wednesday night.
American Airlines Flight 5342 originated in Wichita and collided on approach to Reagan National Airport with an Army Black Hawk helicopter. The AA flight carried 64 people, including crew, while the helicopter was carrying three service personnel.
What was initially a search and rescue has now turned into a recovery effort as all onboard both flights are presumed dead according to media reports. DC Fire Chief John Donnelly officially confirmed the reports Thursday morning. This is the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since 2009.
“We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital. “We don’t believe there are any survivors.”
U.S. Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran of Kansas said Kansans are likely among the dead. The flight from Wichita is a popular one and Moran said he has taken that flight “many times.” Authorities have since confirmed Kansans are among the victims though no names have been released.
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“In Kansas, and Wichita in particular, we’re going to know people on this flight,” Moran said. “This is a very personal circumstance as well as an official response.”
As of Thursday morning, more than 30 bodies have been pulled from the water. Authorities have not released a flight manifest. The plane was carrying a group of figure skaters, their families and coaches, according to U.S. Figure Skating.
Russia on Thursday announced that former World Ice Skating Champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among at least 13 senior skaters and coaches who perished.
Shishkova and Naumov, who were married, were once considered rock stars of the skating world having won the world championships for pairs figure skating in 1994. They moved to the U.S. in 1998 and launched an effort to train young ice skaters. They were returning from the Wichita World Ice Skating event with several very young skaters.
The youngest victims appear to be skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane of Boston. Jinna, about 15 years old, and Spencer, about 16, were traveling with their moms, Jin Han and Christine Lane, and their coaches.
Jesse Romo, Director of Airports, City of Wichita says a response team has been set up at the Wichita airport with Care Team Members having arrived to counsel and assist families of Kansas victims.
A prayer vigil is scheduled for today at 12pm at Wichita’s City Hall located at 455 N. Main.
This is a developing story. Metro Voice will provide additional details of Kansas victims as they are released.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice