An American figure skater narrowly avoided tragedy after being denied boarding on the ill-fated American Airlines Flight 5342 due to his dog’s size.
Jon Maravilla was originally scheduled to be on the flight, which crashed Wednesday night following a midair collision with a Black Hawk helicopter. The plane, traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, plunged into the Potomac River just before 9pm local time.
Maravilla was forced to find alternative travel arrangements after airline staff at the gate refused to allow his dog onboard, citing its size, reports the US Mirror. Speaking to Russian news outlet RIA Novosti, he explained he opted to drive instead.
Frustration was evident in an Instagram post from the airport, where he wrote: “Not allowed past gate to board flight. Get me tf out of Kansas, please.”
Later, as he embarked on his unexpected road trip, he updated followers at 12:23am, posting, “14-hour journey begins.” While Maravilla’s change of plans spared his life, many of his peers were not as fortunate.
According to the skater, at least 14 figure skaters, along with their coaches and family members, were onboard the doomed flight. “I don’t want to name names,” Maravilla said, calling the crash “such a tragedy.”
The skaters had been in Wichita for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which took place last week at Intrust Bank Arena. Many were returning home or continuing their training at other rinks around the country.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Figure Skating governing body expressed heartbreak over the disaster: “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and release more information as it becomes available.”
Flight 5342 was on its final approach to Reagan National Airport when it collided with an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter conducting a training exercise. The collision sent both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River. Authorities have confirmed at least 28 fatalities, and officials do not expect to find additional survivors. If confirmed, this would mark the deadliest U.S. air disaster in nearly 24 years.
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