The LAST Photo of the 1961 US FIGURE SKATING TEAM #death #history #skating #1961 #airplane #accident

Sabena Flight 548 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Idlewild Airport in New York City to Brussels Airport in Belgium.

On 15 February 1961, the Boeing 707-329 operating the flight crashed on approach to Brussels Airport, killing all 72 people on board and one person on the ground.

The fatalities included the entire United States figure skating team, which was traveling to the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

The precise cause of the crash remains unknown; the most likely explanation was thought to be a failure of the mechanism that adjusts the tail stabilizer.

All 18 members of the 1961 American figure skating team, traveling to the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, were killed, as well as 16 others who were accompanying them, including family members, coaches and skating officials.

Among the fatalities were nine-time U.S. ladies' champion-turned-coach Maribel Vinson-Owen and her two daughters: reigning U.S. ladies' champion Laurence Owen, age 16, and her 20-year-old sister, reigning U.S. pairs champion Maribel Owen.

Both had won gold medals at the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, just two weeks earlier. Laurence Owen appeared on the cover of the 13 February issue of Sports Illustrated just two days before her death.

Maribel Owen's pairs champion partner Dudley Richards and reigning U.S. men's champion Bradley Lord were also killed, along with U.S. ice dance champions Diane Sherbloom and Larry Pierce. Also killed were U.S. men's silver medalist Gregory Kelley, U.S. ladies' silver medalist Stephanie Westerfeld and U.S. ladies' bronze medalist Rhode Lee Michelson.

Some national teams had already arrived in Prague.

The competition's organizers initially confirmed that the event would proceed, but the International Skating Union conducted a poll on 16 February regarding the most appropriate course of action, and the voters elected to cancel the event.

A telegram was sent from ISU headquarters reading: "In view of the tragic death of 44 [sic] American skaters and officials the 1961 world championship will not be held."

Prague was awarded the event for the following year.
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