Young Ice Skating Couple Among the Youngest Victims in Devastating Plane Crash
Two of the youngest victims in the tragic Washington, DC, plane crash have been identified as a promising young ice skating duo.
Teen ice dancers Angela Yang and Sean Kay were on the flight returning from the US Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas, along with their coach, according to the Delaware News Journal.
Yang and Kay lost their lives alongside their coach, Alexandr Kirsanov, as confirmed by his wife to local news outlets.
They were part of The University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, as mentioned in a social media post from the organization.
“We have Angela Yang/Sean Kay & Zoe Stone/Jerry Stone heading to Wichita for National Development Camp, with Emmanuel Savary competing in the Championship Men event,” the club posted on January 21.
Yang posted several photos from her time in Wichita just hours before the tragic flight.
“I had so, so much fun at camp! I’m really going to miss my friends and all the great coaches! I can’t wait for next year!” she wrote.
“It was amazing watching all the skaters in Kansas! I had so much fun sitting with my friends and watching incredible performances! I wish I could see it all again!”
The pair won first place in several categories at the 2025 Midwestern Sectional Singles & U.S. Ice Dance in Plano, Texas, in November.
Yang looked stunning in a pink sequin dress as they skated in the juvenile dance final.
She celebrated the win on Instagram, captioning her post, “I am so happy with our results at our first finals together!”
US Figure Skating confirmed that several skaters, coaches, and family members were on the flight as they returned home from the National Development Camp, which took place alongside the national championships.
“We are heartbroken by this tragic event and are keeping the victims’ families in our thoughts. We will continue to monitor the situation and share updates as they come,” the organization said in a statement.
Two teenage skaters, their mothers, and two former world champions who coached at a well-known Boston club were among the 14 skating community members who lost their lives.
Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe confirmed that skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were among the victims, along with 1994 world champion pair skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov from Russia.
Lane, 16, was a sectionals champion and well-known in the skating community, with thousands of followers on TikTok. On Wednesday, he posted a video of himself landing a triple toe loop to mark the end of the development camp.
Yang and Kay’s coach, Alexandr Kirsanov, also lost his life, as confirmed by his wife to local reporters.
Yang had expressed her excitement about camp on Instagram, saying she had a great time and was looking forward to next year.
She wore a pink sequin dress while competing in the juvenile dance final in Texas.
Lane also shared his excitement on Instagram, writing, “I am so happy to have qualified for the national development camp. This has been my goal for a long time. I’ve learned so much and met so many amazing people.”
He later posted a photo of himself aboard the plane just before it took off from Wichita.
Sixty passengers and four crew members on the American Airlines plane, along with three soldiers aboard a training flight on the Blackhawk helicopter, are believed to have lost their lives after the collision.
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, but they confirmed that weather conditions were clear. The jet was making a routine landing when the helicopter unexpectedly crossed its path.
