Sir Steve Redgrave paid a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the recent plane crash in Washington DC on This Morning’s Friday show. The tragic incident, which happened earlier this week, claimed the lives of up to 14 members of the figure skating community and the flight crew.
During his appearance, the Dancing On Ice star took a moment to express his condolences, saying: “Condolences from the whole skating on ice team. On that flight, there were a number of young skaters who were just starting their careers, around 15.
“Some of our pro skaters have commentated them in competitions, and some of the coaches, some were world champions. Some of our coaches skated against them in their youth.”
ITV presenter Alison Hammond also expressed her sympathies, stating: “Our hearts go out to all their families, definitely.”
On Wednesday evening, an American Airlines passenger plane was involved in a mid-air collision with a military helicopter over Washington DC. The plane had 64 passengers, while the helicopter carried three individuals, reports the Mirror.
US Figure Skating officials reported that among those on board were figure skaters from the US and Russia. Sadly, it is believed there are no survivors and the focus has shifted to recovery efforts.
The Guardian has reported that at least 27 bodies have been retrieved as the search continues along the river. In a heartrending disaster, prominent figures such as Howard University Professor Kiah Duggins, lawyers Sarah Lee Best and Elizabeth Keys, father Casey Crafton, American Airlines Captain Jonathan Campos, and Second Pilot Sam Lilley have died in the plane crash.
Young skaters Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, 12-year-old Olivia Ter and the married couple Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were also victims of the catastrophic incident.
U.S. Figure Skating expressed their sorrow, stating: “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
The CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, Doug Zeghibe, reflected on the community’s grief, caommenting: “Skating is a very close and tight-knit community. These kids and their parents, they’re here at our facility in Norwood, six, sometimes seven days a week. It’s a close, tight bond. This will have long-reaching impacts for our skating community.”
While the cause of the tragic event is currently shrouded in mystery, The Guardian reports that National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expecting a preliminary report about the crash within the upcoming 30 days.
This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 10am.