Just hours before the tragic collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, one of the passengers—a teenage figure skater—shared a post that left his fans heartbroken. The post featured a photo taken from his seat on the plane, giving his followers a chilling glimpse of his final moments before the tragedy.
The Skating Club of Boston later confirmed the devastating news, announcing the passing of 16-year-old Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, two rising skating talents who had been documenting their journey to Kansas on social media.
“I am beyond happy to have qualified for the national development camp earlier in November,” Spencer wrote in an emotional post, alongside a group photo featuring at least 15 other young athletes.
“It’s been my dream ever since I first learned about it. I gained so much knowledge and met so many incredible people!” he added.
Authorities have confirmed that at least 14 members of US Figure Skating lost their lives in the tragic accident. The young skaters were traveling with their mothers, Jin Han and Christine Lane, along with their coaches, Russian champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
“Thank you so much @team.genia.vadim and @skatingclubbos for helping me achieve my goal,” Spencer wrote, tagging his coaches and the club.
While the identities of other athletes who attended the camp with Spencer and Jinna remain unconfirmed, many took to the post featuring photos of the group smiling and enjoying their time together to share their condolences.
The Skating Club of Boston’s CEO, Doug Zeghibe, confirmed their passing in a press conference, explaining how the teenagers were carefully selected to participate in the development camp due to their talent.