A Delaware coach and at least two members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club were on the deadly American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night, the coach’s wife confirmed to Delaware Online/The News Journal.
Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov, who coached Angela Yang and Sean Kay, was killed alongside his students, said his wife, Natalia Gudin. She spoke via phone from Washington, D.C., where she was temporarily being housed as recovery efforts continued.
As of Thursday afternoon, the 46-year-old man’s body had not been recovered, Gudin said.
“We always use American Airlines when we go to competition,” Gudin said in a thick Eastern European accent. “This time they go without me, and all of them are gone.”
She cried as she recounted that she learned of the trio’s deaths Wednesday night.
“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, Gudin added.
THE LATEST:‘We will find out what happened,’ NTSB vows after tragic midair collision: Live updates
Golden Skate, a website that provides resources on the sport, said U.S. Figure Skating had confirmed that several members of its community were involved in that crash. These were skating athletes, coaches and family members returning home from the National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas.
The website listed 17 people associated with U.S. Figure Skating who were confirmed to have been on the flight. The list includes three from Delaware: athletes Kay and Yang, as well as Coach Kirsanov.
Who is Alexandr ‘Sasha’ Kirsanov?
Kirsanov, 46, was a professional ice dancer who competed for the United States, Azerbaijan and Russia, according to International Skating Union results.
He earned a bronze medal in 2003 at Nebelhorn Trophy, an annual international figure skating competition held in Oberstdorf, Germany. He last competed in 2004.
Upon retirement, he transitioned to coaching and choreographing, International Skating Union records show.
That included coaching his daughter, Nicole Kirsanov. She is now a professional skater, Gudin said.
As news trickled in of Kirsanov’s death, former skaters took to social media to mourn him.
“Sasha was the biggest light, he will be missed so much,” said one woman, McKenna Schindler.
“Sasha was an incredibly wonderful person with a heart of gold,” said Wisconsin-based skating coach Lisa Reid. “Prayers for Nicole and Natalia…he will be missed!”
Gudin said she spoke to her husband just before they were set to take off. It was to be a short flight, he told her.
“I’ll call you later,” Gudin recalled Kirsanov saying.
Instead, she received a call from the mother of a student.
“Is it this flight that has crashed?” Gudin remembers the woman saying.
Gudin rushed to the Washington, D.C. area, where she’s now staying at a hotel. Despite other crash victims having been recovered, her husband’s body has not yet been found as of Thursday afternoon.
“What I have to do, stay here forever?” she said of waiting for news of her husband. “I just want my husband back.”
What happened?
The crash occurred just before 9 p.m. when American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed with a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C. Sixty passengers and four crew members were on board the passenger plane and three passengers were on board the helicopter.
Officials in Washington D.C. have said no one survived the crash.
Information is still being released about the victims’ identities, but it has been confirmed that many of the passengers were coming from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
The University of Delaware Figure Skating Team posted on social media days leading up to the event that five of its skaters were in Wichita.
The American Airlines was approaching to land at Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with the helicopter in mid-air, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
John Donnelly, the chief of Washington’s fire department, said at a news conference Thursday morning that 28 bodies had been found and authorities were switching from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.
“At this point we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” he said.
CATCH UP:DC plane crash is believed to have ‘no survivors’: What to know about the passengers
The Army helicopter involved in the crash was on an “annual proficiency training flight” when it crashed, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
In a video posted to X on Thursday morning, Hegseth said the crew on board the helicopter was “fairly experienced” and was conducting a night evaluation. The Defense Department has not released the names of the service members on board and is currently notifying the families.
Who is Angela Yang?
One of the children who lost their lives in the plane crash was Yang.
The young skater’s passing was confirmed by Kirsanov‘s wife.
Yang skated at the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, which she took up after watching her siblings play ice hockey and realizing that she had a passion for ice dance, according to a Skater Spotlight post about the girl on Facebook.
The young skater’s talent was undeniable − she and Kay were awarded first place in a U.S. Ice Dance competition in November.
In the spotlight posted by the club in November, Yang shared that off of the ice she enjoyed making digital art, painting and playing video games.
On the day of the crash, the young skater posted photos from the Wichita development camp on Instagram.
“Had so so much fun at camp!!!” Yang wrote in her caption. “I’m really gonna miss my friends and all the great coaches! I can’t wait for next year!”
Who is Sean Kay?
Kay and his brother, Skyler, competed in Austin, Texas, in 2023 at the Excel National Festival, which gives skaters an opportunity to develop skills while showcasing their strengths.
An article on the U.S. Figure Skating website interviewed the brothers’ mother, Julia Kay, who explained the Excel Series gave her sons a chance to travel and compete. It also allowed them to make personal connections with other skaters.
“Their favorite part was meeting other boys who love the sport as much as they do,” Julia Kay was quoted in the article. “The camp portion of the experience provided opportunities to skate, learn and make new friendships. Both boys have several friends from the Excel Program that they talk with on FaceTime. During our last dance competition in Utah, we met with one of the boys from Sean’s Excel event. It’s amazing to watch them as they support each other, encourage each other, wish good luck before competitions and congratulate each other on a great skate.”
The University of Delaware Figure Skating Club congratulated Sean on Instagram for placing “first in Excel Juvenile Plus Boys at the 2023 Excel Series Final! We are so proUD!!!”
University of Delaware confirms death of coach, shares resources
UD President Dennis Assanis wrote to the university community late Thursday afternoon, confirming the death of Kirsanov, who Assanis identified as a former UD Figure Skating Club coach and was better known as Sasha.
He said it was his belief that two young skaters, who are not UD students but members of the UD Figure Skating Club, were also on board.
“It is unknown at this time whether these young skaters — who are not UD students — were accompanied by their parents or other chaperones,” Assanis wrote. “Kirsanov and the skaters trained at the University’s High Performance Training Center, which uses UD ice rink facilities and has been the training home for many years of multiple world-class skating champions and competitors.
“The figure skating community is tight-knit, and many of our students and coaches have trained and competed alongside those who were lost.”
He offered additional resources for the community during this “horrific tragedy.”
This is a developing story. Return to delawareonline.com for updates.
