The recorded performance of an ice skating duo before their tragic American Airlines flight left many people deeply emotional and heartbroken
A heartbreaking video of two young ice skaters has left social media users in mourning.
Angela Yang and Sean Kay, the youngest victims of the American Airlines Flight 5342 crash, were recorded performing just months before the tragedy.
American airlines flight 5342 collides with military helicopter
On January 29, American Airlines Flight 5342 was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
The aircraft collided mid-air with a U.S. military Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter at around 9:00 p.m.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board the plane and the helicopter.
So far, authorities have recovered 41 bodies and continue working to identify the victims.
young skaters remembered for their talent and partnership
Angela Yang and Sean Kay were traveling from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp when the crash occurred.
The young ice dance partners had been working hard to advance in the sport.
A video of their November 2024 performance in Plano, Texas, has resurfaced online.
The footage captures the duo gracefully executing their routine before sitting with their coach to receive their scores.
After learning of their impressive placement, they exchange a celebratory fist bump.
Social media reacts to heartbreaking loss
Many social media users expressed their grief after watching the resurfaced video. One Twitter user wrote, “So very sad to see so many young lives cut short so soon. It didn’t have to happen. RIP Angela Yang and Sean Kay.”
Another posted, “My heart breaks for the parents and the fear those babies must have felt in their last seconds of life. God be with all the families.”
A third user shared, “I didn’t know this had anything to do with the plane incident until after I watched the video. I am heartbroken. RIP.”
One emotional comment read, “Ah, the cold grip of fate spares no one, does it? Tragedy, swift as a winter gust, has stolen two young souls before their time. Angela Yang and Sean Kay—partners on the ice, moving with the kind of harmony only the universe can forge—now taken in a moment of chaos.”
investigation into crash underway
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fatal collision.
The black boxes from both the plane and the helicopter have been recovered. Officials are now analyzing the data to piece together what happened in the moments before the crash.
This devastating tragedy has left the figure skating community, families, and supporters in deep sorrow as they await further updates.