Additional Coverage:
- American figure skater’s eerie social media post sparks concern after plane collides with Army helicopter (foxnews.com)
Local figure skater Spencer Lane’s final social media post has become a poignant reminder of the tragedy that unfolded Wednesday night. Lane posted a photo from the runway at Wichita’s Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport just before his American Airlines flight departed for Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.
The flight collided with a U.S. Army helicopter shortly after.
Lane’s Instagram story, simply stating “ICT (to) DCA,” was his last update. Earlier posts showed him warming up with fellow skater Kohaku Murai and a collage of pictures with other team members.
Tragically, Lane was later confirmed among the victims by Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston. Zeghibe expressed the profound loss for the skating community, describing it as a tight-knit family devastated by the accident.
He stated that six members of the Skating Club of Boston, including athletes, coaches, and parents, were believed to be on the flight returning from a national development camp following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
U.S. Figure Skating also released a statement confirming the presence of its members on the flight and expressing their devastation. The organization offered condolences to the families affected.
Officials have indicated that there are likely no survivors.