SABENA FLIGHT 548

[signeseeker17]

Thank you for posting this lovely, thoughtful tribute. The image of Laurence on the Sports Illustrated cover among the wreckage was particularly poignant. Heartbreaking loss, but the documentary "Rise" emphasizes that their dreams have lived on. God bless them all, and their families.

[syntaur]

@signeseeker17 Thank you for your comment:)

[mhughes72]

@krunchtar, classy response. Good for you! Your Dad was a great coach.

[mhughes72]

@krunchtar, classy respons. Good for you! Your Dad was a great coach.

[EZR09]

I feel horrible for all those people who died on that plane.

[syntaur]

@EZR09 Yeah one of those moments in time... After I received your response... I watched another YouTube about a 50th Anniversary they held last February attended by the friends and family members of the members of the United States Figure Skating team lost in the crash... All 50 years older then they were in 1961

[jmen4ever]

Is that laurence Owen holding the sign with the group in front of the plane?

[syntaur]

@jmen4ever Yes

[JerryE1961]

@jmen4ever Dean McMinn was holding the sign in front of Laurence.

[zackyko]

They are in the hands of our Creator, and they are in HIS kingdom...the music is so touching..thank you for posting. .

[JNagarya]

@zackyko That "Kingdom" is a speculation. I wish such as you would cease pretending it is a proven fact, doing which is dishonest.

[zackyko]

They are in the hands of our Creator, and they are in HIS kingdom.

[McRat1968]

@zackyko

It doesn't matter how many times you repeat that same stupid thing, typing it out like the brainwashed robot you are.

The truth of the matter is, there is no God--and no "kingdom." And every day is proof of that (to those of us who have a brain; not living clinging to false fairy tales about 900-year-old people having babies and magic hippies walking on water and floating up into the air promising to come back somem day.)

It's all bull. And that's a fact.

[ilovemusic1112l]

In the movie rise, they showed a mens ice-skate among the wreckage. I screamed and began to cry. so did others. RIP

[mcwolfus]

Not sure what the appolgy at the beginning is for, Maybe a bad translation. Well done though.

[syntaur]

@mcwolfus Oh the apology at the beginning was how I used to start all my YouTubes... before I switched to my VISION PICTURES logo opening... Glad you liked the YouTube....:)

[mcwolfus]

@syntaur Thanks for the reply. I see, its a trademark thing. I wonder what happened to the farmer who lost his leg? stupid question really. Did you visit the crash site.

[rickram1961]

Tonight (2-17-11) I seen the documentary "Rise" which was the US Skaters aboard Sabena flight 548.  The documentary was a fitting tribute to those athletes.

[wonderglory]

All of them are in God's hands now.

[The1fuzzylogic]

What's up with the thumb's down? Someone seems to be missing a heart.

[syntaur]

@The1fuzzylogic I tend to ignore those thumbs down ratings on such YouTubes... since I figure they are just mean spirited fanboys cruising the internet... Of course it could have been one guy from Belguim who complained I didn't list everyone else on the plane... but I told him it was a tribute to the US figure skating team lost......

50 years this Tuesday February 15th

[syntaur]

@ChristmasBelles92 Thanks for your nice comment about my YouTube...

[syntaur]

Thanks... Just realized that this February 15th will already be the 50th Anniversary of the crash:(

[Chauffeur1]

As a school boy in Shropshire it was I who informed my fellow students of the infamous Munich Air-Crash in February 1958 .....that claimed the lives of many Manchester United Football/Soccer players including a young legend DUNCAN EDWARDS...

Alas THREE years later the Sabena Flight 548 crash and the tragic loss of The US Figure skating team was just a passing story in the UK press......a fact rarely mentioned all these years.......did you know of this tragedy.......???

[krunchtar]

My father was on this plane - Danny Ryan. Thank you for honoring the memory of those who were representing our country in their own way. He had also served in the US Army.

[syntaur]

@krunchtar What a nice comment to see to start the morning...:) I am honored... thank you for your nice comment, And glad you liked my YouTube...

[JerryE1961]

@krunchtar Very sorry even to this day for your loss. I heard about this only a year ago and think about them from time to time. It still makes me pause and think about what would have been had this never taken place. They deserved long lives, but they are remembered.

[katydid41]

I remember the day of this crash. I was a soph in college in Chicago. A classmate of mine from Boulder Co KNEW all these people cuz she had been a high ranked junior skater with them. I encountered her soon after she got word of this disaster. I still can see the horror and pain on her pale sad face. i wept too.

[buckababy]

OMG...I'm sorry but I was never made aware of this tragedy..I feel so terrible for all those people, and of course, Laurence, the promise of a bright future never realized :( , the music is very touching also

[Toodles1218]

WOW

[bilmar1966]

Magnificent, touching tribute to the United States 1961 figure skating team, relatives, coaches, and friends.

An article at the time stated that America's only hope in the 1964 Olympics was "little (14) Perry Fleming." Peggy finished sixth, and took the gold in 1968.

[k9henrydog]

And as I recall, Scottie Allen actually WON a bronze at Innsbruck. That was quite a fun evening. best wishes

[zinou235]

Don't forget the crew, they had children,that flew later on.I knew them end ot was, years later,still a big sufferong;

[syntaur]

"All 72 onboard... plus one on the ground"

But the story here is the loss of the entire US Figure Skating Team, their coaches and family members... But let us not forget the crew and others too... a loss that the survivors deal with to this day... even though so long ago... A loss of a loved one never goes away... only gets easier to live with as time goes on... though the hole in your heart remains

[darwincity]

@syntaur And also, even though it does not alter the suffering of those who died, it was the only fatal accident SABENA has ever suffered...

[DNelson4817]

@darwincity

This is not accurate. Sabena had 15 fatality accidents prior to 15 February.

@ syntaur....Thanks for keeping their memories and talent alive.

[DNelson4817]

@darwincity

This is not accurate..Sabena had 15 prior accidents involving fatalities prior to February 15, 1961.

@Syntaur Thank you for keeping the memories of these skaters alive along with the talent they shared with the world. 

[DerMerFan]

This brought tears to my eyes, beautifully done!

[k9henrydog]

Wow! Will....I'm in tears! Wherever did you get so many wonderful pictures, and such complete information! Most appreciated!! best wishes as always

[darliegoddess]

A very touching tribute.

[FlynnLindley]

I didn't know about this crash. Was there any inkling it was sabatage? This was about the time right-wing, CIA-trained, Cubans were blowing up planes. Were there disillusioned, CIA-trained eastern Europeans too? (See the documentary "638 Ways to Kill Castro".)

[callotas]

I don´t think so. At that time the enemy were the Soviets, and the didn´t waste time blowing airplanes. Had it been George W Bush president of the US, I´m pretty sure he would start WW III blaming the Soviets for this accident. It was just that, an unfortunate accident.

[katydid41]

@FlynnLindley See my earlier comment. No conspiracy issue (Soviet, Cuban or otherwise) just very bad weather=storm and fog. The pilot couldn't see the ground and obstructions according to witnesses and the 'black box". I remember the day. Terrible tragedy and it took a long time and hard work for our skating program to recover.

Bad things happen without human planning; sometimes due to lack of it.

[FlyBraniff]

@FlynnLindley Sabena 548 was flown by an early Boeing 707. There were several accidents 1961-62 with this aircraft attributed to malfunctioning control mechanisms (see also American Airlines flight 1 3/1/62 and Air France flight 007 6/3/62). The Belgian commission could not commit to a single theory but our own FAA commented that the probable cause of the crash was a malfunction of the stabilizer adjusting mechanism. Sabena 548 is a terrible and tragic story which still shocks people today.