Figure skating world championships: ceremony held for the victims of air accidents
A ceremony was held at the world skating championships to pay homage to the skaters and coaches who died in a plane crash in January.
An American Airlines plane and the Black Hawk army helicopter collided with Washington DC on January 29th, Killing 67 people.
Of those who died, 28 were skaters, coaches or members of the figure skating community who were returning from the US championships in Kansas.
Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston, the faces and names of the victims were exhibited on a screen above the ice and a local choir performed to close an emotional ceremony.
Doug Lane, whose son Spencer and his wife Christine died in the accident, told the crowd that Spencer planned to compete with the world championships.
He said: “My first hope is that even if we remember the fantastic people of the figure skating community that we have lost, we take care to lift the young skaters still here. They are hurting.
“My last hope today is that we can prevent something like this happening again.
“Some accidents are inevitable. This was not.
“But rather than looking for places to blame, I hope we can work with our officials elected to make air travel safer for everyone and for all our families.”
An free video was broadcast, with speeches by the President of the International Skating Union Jae You Kim and the mayor of Boston Michelle Wu.
