Former Indiana rower among those killed in Malaysia Airlines crash

Indiana University announced on Friday that Karlijn Keijzer, a former rower for the university and current doctoral student at the school, was among the 298 passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which crashed on Thursday after being shot down in the Ukraine and left no survivors. 

Keijzer was 25 years old and originally from Amsterdam. She was a member of the Varsity 8 boat on the Hoosiers' 2011 women’s rowing team and received Academic All-Big Ten honors after the season. Keijzer also participated in the European Rowing Junior Championships in 2006 and the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2007.

Indiana head rowing coach Steve Peterson issued a statement: 

“The Indiana Rowing family is deeply saddened by the news of Karlijn’s sudden passing. She came to us for one year as a graduate student and truly wanted to pursue rowing. That year was the first year we really started to make a mark with the First Varsity 8 boat, and she was a huge reason for it. She was a phenomenal student and loved IU so much that she stayed here after she earned her master’s degree. Our condolences go out to her family and friends in this very tough time.”

- Molly Geary