'I called my wife and she didn't pick up' : Family tragedy unfolds as man loses son and wife in catastrophic D.C. plane collision

Vitali Kay, who mislaid his lad 11-year-old fig skating prodigy Sean Kay and woman Julia Kay successful the catastrophic level wreck successful Washington, D.C., shared the chilling infinitesimal helium realized thing was awry

A heartbroken begetter from Delaware has spoken retired astir the harrowing infinitesimal helium discovered thing was terribly incorrect aft his 11 twelvemonth aged fig skater lad and woman perished successful the devastating level clang successful Washington DC. Sean Kay, a young crystal skating prodigy, and his parent Julia Kay, 42, were among those connected committee the ill-fated American Airlines formation that collided with an Army Black Hawk chopper connected Wednesday night.

Vitali Kay, Sean's begetter and Julia's husband, shared his anguish with CBS, recounting the chilling infinitesimal helium realised thing was amiss. "The level was expected to onshore astatine nine, and I called my wife, and she didn't prime up," helium said, his dependable cracking with emotion.

Initially, helium thought her telephone mightiness beryllium connected airplane mode, but arsenic the minutes ticked by with nary response, a consciousness of unease began to grip him, reports the Mirror US.

With a increasing feeling of dread, Vitali rushed to Reagan National Airport, wherever a constabulary serviceman allowed him to walk done a blocked roadworthy to talk with airdrome officials. "Everyone was sincerely worried," the grieving begetter recalled.

"They profoundly were feeling for you, they were knowing of what radical mightiness consciousness who has loved ones connected the plane."

As the world of the concern sank in, Vitali faced the agonising task of breaking the quality to his 3 different children, aged 7 to 14, each of whom are besides crystal skaters. "I had to present the quality to them, right, and that was the operation I used, 'Hey, Julia would privation you to bash this, to skate,'" helium told CBS, his dependable dense with grief.

Eleven twelvemonth aged Sean, besides affectionately known by his Russian sanction Ilya, was not conscionable a passionate guitarist and rollercoaster lover; helium was besides an crystal dancing prodigy. "Ilya was 1 of the apical crystal dancers successful the state for his property and dreamed of making it to the Olympic team," his household shared connected their GoFundMe page.

The fundraiser was acceptable up pursuing a devastating incident, aiming to radiance a ray of anticipation for the youngsters affected.

Vitali looked backmost with large affection connected gathering his woman during their assemblage years, portraying her arsenic some loving and afloat of life. "She spent her days taking them to training, helping them combat for their dreams, and worked nights arsenic a caregiver to wage for crystal time, costumes, travel, and coaches. She gave everything she had for their future," is the touching tribute recovered connected a 2nd GoFundMe dedicated to supporting the household done this immeasurable loss.

Tragedy struck erstwhile an American Airlines flight, with 60 radical aboard on with 4 unit members, collided successful midair with an Army Black Hawk chopper that was carrying 3 soldiers. The horrific mishap took spot adjacent Reagan National Airport successful Washington, DC causing some craft to plummet into the chill waters of the Potomac River past Wednesday night.

It was confirmed by officials that determination were nary survivors from either aircraft. By the weekend, hunt efforts had led to the grim betterment of 42 individuals from the icy stream depths.

In a sorrowful recounting of those mislaid successful the catastrophic level crash, the database of victims included 16 twelvemonth aged fig skating sensation Spencer Lane and 13 twelvemonth aged endowment Jinna Han. The 2 young skaters, alongside their mothers, were returning location from a fig skating contention successful Wichita, Kansas.

Russian fig skating stars Evgenia Shishkova, 53, and Vadim Naumov, 56, were among those caught successful the tragic crash. Officials from Fairfax County schools person verified that the clang claimed the lives of 3 students whose identities are not disclosed, six parents, and 2 unit members.

Tragically, Wendy Jo Shaffer, described by her hubby Nate arsenic a devoted woman and parent with an "unwavering spirit," per his connection to PEOPLE Magazine, was besides a unfortunate of the incident.

Christine Lane, of Rhode Island, who was escorting her lad Spencer to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, died alongside him successful the accident. Kiah Duggins, erstwhile crowned Miss Kansas, tragically perished connected her instrumentality to Washington having visited her parent successful Wichita.

The world of Disney connected Ice mislaid Inna Volyanskaya, 59, a beloved skater and histrion who had portrayed iconic figures specified arsenic Princess Aurora and Cinderella, accusation gleaned from her coaching illustration states.

First responders revealed to NBC Washington the harrowing item that the craft divided successful 2 aft colliding with a Blackhawk helicopter. Both the level and the chopper plunged underwater, with authorities reporting level debris scattered implicit the area.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed profound "sorrow" astatine the nonaccomplishment of beingness and extended condolences to the bereaved families, stating intentions to sojourn the capital's clang tract personally.

"First and astir importantly, I'd similar to explicit our heavy sorrow astir these events," Isom stated successful a video connection concerning the tragedy. "This is simply a hard time for each of america astatine American Airlines, and our efforts present are focused wholly connected the needs of our passengers, unit members, partners, archetypal responders, on with their families and loved ones."

Army officials person praised the chopper unit for their immense acquisition and cognition of the engaged airspace implicit the capital.

Military craft often undertake specified flights, practising evacuation procedures for VIPs successful the lawsuit of an onslaught oregon superior disaster. The NTSB-led enquiry is intimately examining the decisions made by some the subject aviator and aerial postulation control.

While NTSB afloat probes tin surpass a year, there's anticipation for swifter results. A preliminary study is owed wrong the adjacent 30 days.