This morning, a plane carrying KHL team Lokomotiv from Yaroslavl to Minsk, Belarus crashed shortly after takeoff. 43 people were killed, among them, crew and former NHL players. One player and one crew member survived, but are listed in critical condition.
Former Mighty Duck Ruslan "Rusty" Salei was aboard this flight. His death was confirmed by the Russian Emergency Ministry. Salei spent 9 years on the Mighty Duck roster, becoming a beloved teammate and fan favorite.
The following was issued by the Anaheim Ducks organization:
"The Anaheim Ducks organization is shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Ruslan Salei. ‘Rusty’ was a fan favorite and dedicated member of the Orange County community since being drafted by Anaheim in 1996. Our thoughts and prayers go to his wife and three children, along with all of the other members of the hockey community affected by this horrible tragedy."
To pay their respects, Ducks fans erected a memorial at the Wild Wing statue outside of the Ponda.
More pictures courtesy of the OC Register: Slideshow
Salei leaves behind a wife and three children. He was 36.
You'll be missed, Rusty.
Posts
3 comments:
Little correction. two survived, but only one was a player - Galimov. The other was a crewman, engineer, i believe.
Galimov, btw, according to first respondents walked out of the water on his own. Was responsive and brave, realizing clearly what just happened.
Crewman was trying to save one of the pilots, dragging him out of the debris, but his colleague was already dead.
Minsk cry
Vavera4ka, thanks for your comment! At the time, I knew 2 had survived and thought later that only 1 was a player, but couldn't find verification... there were so many rumors and reports at first. I've made the correction now, thank you for reading!
Post a Comment