European figure skating championships carry on, overshadowed by deadly mid-air collision in US

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The European figure skating championships carried on Thursday, even as the skating world mourned athletes who died when an American Airlines jet collided with an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C.

The competition paused for a moment of silence before the free skate in the pairs event and a message of condolence delivered on behalf of International Skating Union President Jae Youl Kim, who was traveling to the competition Thursday.

“Today, the world of figure skating is heartbroken," ISU representative Gyorgy Elek told the crowd on Kim's behalf.

"We share our deepest, most sincere condolences with the families and friends of all those who lost their lives in this terrible crash. To lose so many members of our community in this way brings sadness beyond words.”

Despite the circumstances, there were still plenty of cheers from the crowd as Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin won their first European title in pairs skating.

They extended their lead from Wednesday's short program despite an early mistake by Hase on a jump combination, finishing on a score of 212.89 points to win by 5.59 from Italy's Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii.

Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia, silver medalists last year, recovered from ninth in the short program to finish third overall.

Last year’s European champions Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise of Italy weren't defending their title because of a season-ending foot injury for Beccari.

Earlier, the second day of the competition began with the men's short program Thursday afternoon, even as news continued to develop about the skaters, parents and coaches on board the American Airlines flight.

France's Adam Siao Him Fa took the lead as he aims for a third European title in a row. He landed a quadruple toeloop-triple toeloop combination, a quad salchow and a triple axel on his way to a score of 93.12 points.

On his Instagram page, Siao reposted a message of condolences from the French skating federation.

Nika Egadze of Georgia was second on 91.94 and Vladimir Samoilov of Poland is third on 85.98.

The men's free skate is Saturday.

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Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany perform in the pairs free skating during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Pairs gold medalist Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany, centre, silver medalists Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy, left, and bronze medalist Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia pose with their medals during the victory ceremony for pairs short program competition at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Spectators observe a moment of silence for the DC aircraft crash victims, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Spectators observe a moment of silence for the DC aircraft crash victims, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Nike Egadze of Georgia performs during the men's short program at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Adam Siao Him Fa of France performs during the men's short program at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Adam Siao Him Fa of France performs during the men's short program at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)