Former skater Alexander (Sasha) Kirsanov, who performed in ice dancing for the United States, Azerbaijan and Russia, died tragically as a result of a plane crash over the Potomak River in 2025. His death was reported by his wife, figure skating coach Natalya Gudin.

Kirsanov was born on August 17, 1978 and changed several sports citizens in his career. He achieved the greatest success, playing for the United States in a duet with Christie Moxle-the couple won bronze at the Nebelhorn Trophy tournament in 2003, took fifth place at the US championship and performed at the Skate America Grand Prix stage.

Earlier he represented Azerbaijan with Barbara Hanley, having won the national championship and took fifth place at the Winter Universiade. As part of the Russian national team, Kirsanov performed with Olga Poghosyan-the duet became the silver medalist of the junior Grand Prix in Slovakia and finished the 11th at the World Cup among juniors.

After his career was completed in 2004, Kirsanov worked as a coach and choreographer in Delaware.

The last time Natalya talked with her husband when he was the National Airport named after Dwight D. Eisenhower in Wichito.

“It's time for landing,” her husband told her on the phone, Gudin recalls. They had to call again after his landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Virginia.

Instead, according to Gudin, the mother of one of the skaters who flew the same flight called her, and reported the crash. "

On the evening of January 29, the regional reactive aircraft Bombardier CRJ700 American Airlines, on board of which there were 60 passengers and 4 crew members, collided in the air with the UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter, on the board of which there were three people. The plane was at the final landing when a disaster occurred. The wreckage collapsed into the Potomak River.

Diving groups and other emergency services worked on the spot all night.

According to the latest data, 30 bodies of the dead were discovered at the site of the tragedy. Among them are 14 skaters who returned home, in particular Russian coaches, the world of figure skating champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkov.