American Victim on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Identified
— -- Only one of the victims aboard the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight struck by a missile in Ukraine has been identified as an American: Quinn Lucas Schansman.
President Obama identified him today during a news conference, saying his "thoughts and prayers are with his family through this terrible loss."
His devastated cousins told ABC News that Schansman is also a Dutch citizen, but declined to say more.
Schansman was born in New York, another relative told ABC News, adding that the family was planning to meet in Malaysia for vacation.
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"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the victims," said Rodney Schansman, who lives in Georgia and is a cousin of the victim's father. "We didn't believe the news until Quinn's grandfather called us."
Schansman attended the International Business School at Hogeschool van Amsterdam in the Netherlands, according to his Facebook page.
He also appeared to be a soccer player. Dutch club Olympia '25 named him in a statement, saying they "can barely comprehend the news." The club also named five other members as victims aboard the plane.
"We wish the surviving family members and friends much strength in digesting this inconceivable loss, this huge hit," reads a translated version of the statement posted on the club's website.
Schansman is among 298 victims of Flight 17, which was taken down by a surface-to-air missile on Thursday in eastern Ukraine, near the Russia border, on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
