11 years ago today, tragedy struck the hockey world
11 years ago today, tragedy struck the hockey world.
On September 7th, 2011, a Yakovlev Yak-42 charter flight carrying players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL crashed on take-off near Yaroslavl, Russia. 44 of the 45 people on board were killed.
The aircraft overran the runway at Tunoshna Airport before briefly lifting off, striking an antenna mast, catching fire, and crashing on the bank of the Volga river. The team was on its way to Minsk, Belarus, to start the 2011�12 season. All players from the main roster and four from the youth team died in the accident. The only survivor was the aircraft's mechanic.
Team staff killed on board:
Alexander Karpovtsev, 41 years old from Russia - Assistant Coach
Igor Korolev, 41 years old from Canada - Assistant Coach
Brad McCrimmon, 52 years old from Canada - Head Coach
Among the team staff on board was former Boston Bruins draft pick (15th overall in 1979), Brad McCrimmon, who was head coach of Lokomotiv. The former defenseman appeared in 228 games (1979 to 1982) for the Bruins, collecting 17 goals and 37 assists.
Players killed in the crash: (Name, age, country, position)
Vitaly Anikeyenko, 24, Russia, D
Mikhail Balandin, 31, Russia, D
Gennady Churilov, 24, Russia, C
Pavol Demitra, 36, Slovakia, C
Robert Dietrich, 25, Germany, D
Alexander Galimov, 26, Russia, LW
Marat Kalimulin, 23, Russia, D
Alexander Kalyanin, 23, Russia, RW
Andrei Kiryukhin, 24, Russia, RW
Nikita Klyukin, 21, Russia, C
Stefan Liv, 30, Sweden, G
Jan Marek, 31, Czech Republic, C
Sergei Ostapchuk, 21, Belarus, LW
Karel Rachůnek, 32, Czech Republic, D
Ruslan Salei, 36, Belarus, D
Maxim Shuvalov, 18, Russia, D
Kārlis Skrastiņ�, 37, Latvia, D
Pavel Snurnitsyn, 19, Russia, F
Daniil Sobchenko, 20, Russia, C
Ivan Tkachenko, 31, Russia, LW
Pavel Trakhanov, 33, Russia, D
Yuri Urychev, 20, Russia, D
Josef Va��ček, 30, Czech Republic, C
Alexander Vasyunov, 23, Russia, LW
Alexander Vyukhin, 38, Ukraine, G
Artem Yarchuk, 21, Russia, LW
Today, and ever day, we remember all those the hockey world lost on that tragic day. May they all rest in peace.
