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Alexandr Kirsanov, a coach from Delaware, and at least two members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club (UDFSC) were on the unfortunate American Airlines from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C. that collided with a military helicopter on Wednesday.
The 46-year-old coach, who is survived by his wife, Natalya Gudin, and daughter Nicole Kirsanov, who is a professional skater herself, Alexandr Kirsanov was chaperoning two young figure skaters from his club: Angela Yang and Sean Kay, both 11 years of age. Speaking with ABC News, his wife Natalya said:
"I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends."
She added:
"I need my husband back. I need his body back."
Alexandr Kiransov: Gone too soon
With an illustrious career spanning decades, Alexandr "Sasha" Kirsanov has previously competed for the U.S., Azerbaijan, and Russia, and last took to the rink professionally in 2004, after which he moved to coach the UDFSC post-retirement.
As the news of Alexandr Kirsanov’s death trickled in, many former skaters took to social media to mourn him. Wisconsin-based coach, Lisa Reid, expressed her sorrow:
“Sasha was an incredibly wonderful person with a heart of gold. Prayers for Nicole and Natalia…he will be missed!”
What happened on January 29?
On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, just before 9 p.m., American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed with a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C. Approximately sixty passengers and four crew members were on board the passenger plane and three passengers were on board the military chopper. Officials in Washington D.C. have said no one survived the crash.
As information about the victims' identities is still being released, 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 mere days before the event announcing that five of its skaters were in Wichita.
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Alexandr was returning from the Kansas competition accompanying two young skaters from UDFSC, alongside 12 others from Washington Figure Skating Club and The Skating Club of Boston, respectively. Wednesday's mid-air collision has been dubbed as the 'deadliest airline disaster on American' since the 2009 Buffalo tragedy.
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