An American figure skater’s recent social media post has raised concerns about his safety after it was revealed he may have been on the plane involved in a tragic collision with a U.S. Army helicopter on Wednesday night.
Spencer Lane shared a photo on his Instagram account while aboard the American Airlines flight, which was on the runway at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport. The flight appeared to be preparing for takeoff to Reagan International Airport in Washington, D.C.
In his Instagram Stories, Lane wrote, “ICT (to) DCA,” indicating the flight’s destination. However, he has not posted any further updates since then. Another post featured him warming up with fellow skater Kohaku Murai, alongside a collage of images with other team members who were in Wichita, Kansas.
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In a statement released Thursday, U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that several members of its community were aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 at the time of the incident. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,” the organization stated.
They expressed their devastation over the incident, 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.”
As of Thursday, officials indicated that they did not expect there to be any survivors from the crash.