Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos and Fiance Chock Chapple Are ‘Both Safe’ After D.C. Plane Crash
Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos and her fiancé, Chock Chapple, have spoken out regarding the recent D.C. plane crash in their respective hometowns.
“Just wanted to let everyone know that @chockchapple and I are both safe,” Vassos, 62, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Thursday, January 30. “Thank you to everyone who messaged and checked in on us.”
She continued, “We are absolutely heartbroken over the news of the plane crash. Our hearts are with the families and friends of the people on the flight.”
News broke late on Wednesday, January 29, that an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas had crashed in the Potomac River, which is located in the Washington, D.C. area. (Chapple, 61, resides in Wichita, while Vassos is based in Maryland. In addition to splitting time in one another’s cities, they are also hunting for a joint apartment in New York City.)
Chapple also released a statement on the tragedy.
“My heart goes out to everyone impacted by the tragic plane crash,” he wrote via his Instagram Stories on Thursday. “I’m praying for our city during this difficult time. Joan and I are safe, and we’re sending out love and support.”
The American American flight reportedly serviced 60 passengers and four crew members. Several members of the U.S. Figure Skating Team were also included in the flight manifest.
“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.” a statement from the skating organization read. “These athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
While names of the athletes on board weren’t immediately revealed, at least six of the passengers were presumably members of the Skating Club of Boston.
Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” Doug Zeghibe, the executive director of the Massachusetts organization, wrote in a statement. “Skating is a tight-night community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
According to Zeghibe, the victims had been “returning from U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp following last week’s U.S. Championships in Wichita.” The camp is a training program for young competitive ice skaters.
