Upstate New York Aircraft Crash Leaves Six Dead, Including Former MIT Athlete

(MENAFN) Authorities have confirmed that a private aircraft carrying six people crashed in an open field in upstate New York on Saturday, resulting in the fatalities of all onboard.

Among the deceased is Karenna Groff, a renowned former football player from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), along with her parents and brother, as stated in a family announcement.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the family was traveling to a holiday gathering when the unfortunate event took place.

Officials have obtained a video that captures the final moments of the flight, showing the plane intact before it rapidly descended and struck the ground, according to the NTSB.

A family statement has revealed the identities of the victims: Karenna Groff, her parents Dr. Michael Groff and Dr. Joy Saini, her brother Jared Groff and his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte, as well as Karenna's partner, James Santoro.

"They were a wonderful family," John Santoro, James's father, stated in an interview. "The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We're all personally devastated."

Karenna Groff, a distinguished athlete, was honored as Woman of the Year by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 2022 during her senior year at MIT. The NTSB is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

MENAFN14042025000045017169ID1109427648