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Fellow attendant Sunshine Vesuwala saw one of the hijackers grab a colleague, Neerja Bhanot, and put a gun to her head. On December 21 Pan Am Flight 103 crashed on Lockerbie after the bombing of a Boeing 747-121. The two girls narrowly escaped a deadly fusillade. The FBI is hoping to generate new leads with the release of age-progressed images of four alleged terrorists involved in the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Pakistan that killed two Americans. KERSHAW, Dorothea, Borrego Springs, Calif. TANEMURA, Roy, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It remains the worlds deadliest air disaster. Pan Am flight 103, also called Lockerbie bombing, flight of a passenger airliner operated by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, after a bomb was detonated. On March 27, 1977, the most shocking and deadliest air disaster happened, changing the aviation world forever. The Georges two daughters, 8-year-old Priti, and 3-month-old Priya Joyce, apparently were unhurt, but the baby fell from her mothers arms as the family scrambled out on a wing to escape and the parents said they planned to have her examined by a physician here. The great eye opener though was the compassion shown by Pakistanis. Another Southern Californian who died was Kala Singh, a resident alien who lived in La Jolla. The passenger plane crashed in a residential area of Kenner soon after . As soon as his prayer was over, they started firing indiscriminately. In 2010, the couple welcomed a daughter, Melanie naming their baby girl after Trahans late mother. June 16, 2003 - The government filed its reply brief in support of its motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the death penalty in this case. On September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked on the ground at Karachi Airport in Pakistan by Palestinian terrorists led by the Abu Nidal Organization, a terrorist organization backed by . The adrenaline was doing its work until I realised I had a major injury. After the terrorists opened fire, I lay down flat fearing I could get killed any moment. Crowell & Moring LLP would like to recognize 13 of the firm's Pan Am Flight 73 victims of terrorism clients who were presented the Special Courage Award by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales during the National Crime Victims' Rights Week Awards Ceremony on April 21, 2006. The Pan Am Flight 73 on its way from Mumbai to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt was . When the firing stopped, I ran to the front and someone pushed me out from the exit. I realised I had survived. This was given to the 40-odd American passengers of the ill-fated Pan Am Flight 73, but not shared with the Indians, including the kin . He had grenades on him. The government argues that the death penalty is available for defendant Safarini's violation of the air piracy statute. See a Message on the 25th Anniversary of the Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. Neerja Bhanot was senior flight purser on the Empress of the Seas, a Pan Am 747 hijacked at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi by four armed men from the Abu Nidal organization en route to Frankfurt and New York. "That day, knowingly or unknowingly, we came together as a team and played our parts to the best of our ability," says Massey Casper, another steward. That didnt make sense to Gargi Dav, who read the law firms demands with a trained lawyers eye. June 19, 2000 - The federal court in the District of Columbia grants the government's request to unseal the indictment, thereby making public the pending criminal charges in the United States. Interim status hearing dates were set for February 18, 2004, and April 14, 2004. As the shooting began to die down, said George, a flight attendant called out that an emergency exit was open. We put her in the ambulance. She had been shot in the lower left leg as she rushed to an emergency exit and her back and neck were injured when she jumped down to the tarmac. Sherene saw that mechanic Meherjee had been killed. Twenty people killed, more than 100 injured. The latter apparently was not hurt. My mother was trying to save me while Neerja saved other children.I wanted to use the loo. Following is a partial list of the casualties on Pan Am Flight 73, which was hijacked Friday in Karachi, Pakistan, as made public yesterday by Pan American World Airways. Gargi Dav argues that they could file in foreign courts. We went to all the hospitals looking for our people. emailStay Connected More information will be provided to victims concerning submitting a victim impact. It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. The Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO), which they were members of, was opposed to US and Israeli policy in the Middle East. While they relayed the events to a private FBI meeting a week after the hijack, and to a parole hearing for the lead hijacker in 2005, this is the first time they have shared details with the media. We saw another lady, Utpala Desai, coming out seriously injured. On December 21, 1988, their 20-year-old daughter, Theodora, was one of 270 people killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. I was from a business family, married into another business family but I chose to start an NGO, providing education for the underprivileged after going through this tragedy. There was a bloody end - 22 people killed and about 150 injured. The men entered the Boeing 747, firing shots into the air. They didn't discuss the hijack. This action was undertaken in coordination with a joint announcement with the U.S. Department of State that the Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the four individuals Wadoud Muhammad Hafiz al-Turki , Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, Muhammad Abdullah Khalil Hussain ar-Rahayyal, and Muhammad Ahmed al-Munawar all believed to have been members of the Abu Nidal terrorist organization. They climbed back in through the door they had come through, and along with Sherene and another colleague, assisted and redirected passengers to the inflated slide. . Sunshine remained alert. n the afternoon of Dec. 21, 1988, Syracuse University student Matthew Trento walked into New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, ready to make what he thought would be a routine connection between a Pan Am flight and a Piedmont plane bound for Syracuse. Flight attendant Sherene Pavan, who was out of sight of the militants, heard the commotion, reached for the intercom and pressed the emergency number to the cockpit. Pity that she was shot at. After the crash, Trahan and her father, who was working when the plane hit, moved away from Kenner to be closer to family. Irja Skabo, 38, was one of Pan Am's more experienced stewardesses and she often worked in the first class cabin. We just kept praying.. All 259 people on board were killed, and 11 individuals on the ground also died. She fell on my shoulder, while I felt a hot ball of fire going up my feet. Captain Robert Bragg was the co-pilot aboard the Pan Am plane, and was one of the few who survived the collision. There was complete chaos at the Sahar airport when we returned. Most . "I noticed immediately that the escape devices in the cockpit had been deployed. Passengerlist of the PamAm. Contact the Webmaster to submit comments. Philadelphia, flight attendant, SARP, Aytel, Arlington. He said of a family of four sitting across the aisle from him: Two of them were killed and the others were wounded.. At the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York, FBI Director Christopher Wray discussed how the FBI is evolving to stay ahead of threats in the digital age. Mrs. Georges husband was one of several survivors who were brought off a Pan American World Airways jetliner at Los Angeles International Airport in wheelchairs. But U.S. consulate officers go out to hospitals and airports to help U.S. citizens in distress. He had been on a climbing expedition in northern Pakistan to say goodbye to his elder brother Pete, a doctor who had died during . A family from Karachi later got me clothes and shoes. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. Thirty-five students studying abroad with Syracuse University were struck down from the sky on Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988, along with 224 other passengers and eleven Lockerbie residents, victims of a terrorist bombing. On December 21, Pan Am 103 was beginning the second leg of its Frankfurt-London-New York-Detroit route. I was part of the Avishakar Academy Of Performing Arts. There were huge streaks of light breaking the darkness. I knew non-Americans could go to their own governments. When the lights did go out, all the flight attendants and passengers were in the middle section of the cabin, several seated on the ground in the aisles and near the doors. The attack, which occurred aboard Pan Am Flight 73 during an airport stopover in Karachi, resulted in the deaths of 20 passengers and crew. Eventually, she moved back to New Orleans and married Joe Ferrara, whom she called the boy next door in the Times-Picayune story. Contact Scott Herhold at sherhold@mercurynews.com or 408-275-0917. 583 people. Remembering Neerja Bhanot on hijacked Pan Am Flight 73. August 28, 2002 - A 95-count superseding indictment is returned by a grand jury in the District of Columbia, charging defendant Safarini and four co-defendants. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has . The letter also contained a handbook entitled "Coping After Terrorism: Information for Victims and Survivors of the Pan Am Flight #73 Hijacking. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. More than three decades after a bomb pierced the evening sky over Lockerbie, Scotland, the Syracuse University community carries on a tradition to honor the 35 study-abroad students killed on Pan Am Flight 103. September 18, 2002 - Attorneys for defendant Safarini file a motion to bar the government from seeking the death penalty against the defendant, arguing that a death sentence in this case would violate the ex post facto clause of the Constitution. They turned and ran back through the plane--and some gunfire--to the other wing, where they were able to slide to safety. The shooting began when the hijackers fired in panic as the lights went out in the Boeing 747 on a runway in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday. I t was September 5, 1986. Our tickets got confirmed at the last moment in Pan-Am Flight-73, which was headed to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt from . Survivors of a 1986 terrorist attack on Pan Am 73 in Pakistan faced a nightmare together. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has learned to cope with unbelievable loss. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. The Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO) is a Palestinian militant group, now considered largely inactive. TANEMURA, Aya, Kelowna, Bristish Columbia, ?? There was gunfire. On that night, Dec. 8, 1963, Flight 214, a Pan American Airways Boeing 707, was returning to the U.S. from from San Juan, Puerto Rico. August 29, 1991 - A 126-count indictment is returned under seal (i.e., in secret) by a grand jury in the District of Columbia. The university's annual Remembrance Week, which runs October 20-26, features a candlelight vigil . Sonam Kapoors Neerja has brought alive memories of the braveheart Neerja Bhanot. The Pan Am captain's name was Victor Grubbs. (In group shot - far left): Massey. Suresh GopalkrishnanProfession: Businessman, ChennaiAge: 55I was a carefree and free-spirited 23 year old boy, working with a German company, on my way to Paris. Joani and Jack sat in first . A survivor of 1986 Pan Am hijack, Murthy shuddered as the dreadful moment flashed before his eyes. They shot a certain US citizen by the name of Rajesh.I remember seeing Neerja each time the terrorists asked her to give us instructions. Neerja seemed like just any other airhostess until we reached Karachi and the terrorists took over. Other terrified passengers had jumped down on top of her at Karachi, she explained. DUMFRIES, Scotland (AP) _ Two passengers might have survived the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 had they received the best medical care immediately, a Scottish pathologist testified Wednesday. They had only genuine feelings for us and our country. They saw another door had been deployed in automatic, which meant that the emergency slide was inflated. At Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport, a KLM 747 initiated takeoff without air traffic control clearance and smashed into a Pan Am 747 waiting on the runway, resulting in 583 fatalities. Herhold: The heritage of a 24-year-old hijacking, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early. July 21, 2003 - The court began hearing arguments on the government's motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the death penalty in this case. . One of the hijackers removed a blanket and covered her with it because she was wearing a short skirt. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Those hours were torturous. March 10, 2003 - Attorneys for both sides filed briefs in response to the motions and notices filed on February 10, 2003. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. After a short break all the Flight 73 crew returned to Pan Am for at least a few years. They were not aggressive as such but panic started after the power supply went off. Three lives would be saved.". Va., flight attendant. That didnt seem right., Stuart Newberger, the lead lawyer for Crowell & Moring, has said in a court filing that he considers the Davs case to be an attempt to increase the recovery of some members of the victim group obviously at the expense of the others.. New Delhi, UPDATED: Sep 5, 2017 17:13 IST. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. "My mother died while shielding and protecting me. The Sentencing Response Form should be submitted by February 12, 2004. More information will be provided on submitting a victim impact statement at a later date. THOMAS, Carol, New York, flight attendant. Gargi Dav (pronounced Dah-VAY) is now a 34-year-old attorney who lives in Sunnyvale. FBI Releases Age-Progressed Photos of Four Most Wanted Terrorists from Pan Am Flight 73 Hijacking, MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH KHALIL HUSSAIN AR-RAHAYYAL, FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. Spring 2000 - Officials in Pakistan begin making public statements that the jail terms of the hijackers will soon expire. You can argue that setting aside the lawsuit brought by Crowell & Moring was one of the benefits to Libya in signing a pact and therefore that the lawyers deserve some payment for their work. They are breaking this silence now, they say, because they want to honour and acknowledge the vital roles played by all on board, most of whom are not known to the public. There were 14 flight attendants on board, 12 of whom were preparing for take-off. Shahs family members, whom he had sent to Bombay to visit friends and relatives, were apparently uninjured. Then I was pushed gently from an exit and I landed on the tarmac. These charges will serve as the basis for the upcoming criminal trial of defendant Safarini. She still lives on through the ultimate courage - saving lives at cost of her own. Neerja Bhanot was the only crew member to be awarded posthumous bravery awards by India and Pakistan, The Pakistani authorities released the leader of the hijackers, Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini, in September 2001, but he was quickly recaptured by the US, Safarini is 12 years into his 160-year sentence in a US prison. Eventually the militants threatened that, as a pilot had not materialised, a passenger would be shot every 15 minutes. The motions hearing will continue on Monday, June 16, 2003. Some survivors of the ill-fated PanAm flight 73 recount the sordid memories of that September day in 1986 when . If you have any questions regarding the legal proceedings in this case, please contact us at USADC.PanAm73@usdoj.gov. Had they not, the terrorists would have taken the flight somewhere and blown up the aircraft. My co-passenger, a German national, woke me up informing that our plane was hijacked. A 7-year-old child that Bhanot helped protect went on to become a captain of a major airline and he noted that she was his inspiration. The court suspended the hearing before it was completed due to a lack of sufficient interpreters for the defendant. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . That incident changed my outlook towards life. She died heroically, saving Pan Am passengers from terrorists on Sept. 5, 1986. Nearly 30 years after the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 at Karachi airport, six of the plane's crew have spoken to the media for the first time. I was wondering if the Pan Am pilots are still living, or even the cabin crew. It departed from Los Angeles bound for the . Grubbs was not among the survivors. The hijacker didn't seem to know much about the plane so he didn't look for it," says Sunshine. We don't support landscape mode. The next status hearing in the case is now scheduled for Monday May 19, 2003, at 2:00 p.m. Around 4 pm, we were served some cold drinks and snacks.The most incredible memory is that of Neerja gesturing the passengers to hide their American passports. 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I noticed that the evacuation hatch on the ceiling of the cockpit was open, but I pretended not to. Victim impact statements should be submitted to the prosecution team by March 1, 2004. He spoke to Witness about that terrible disaster. He caught me doing that and asked whether I was a journalist. But for how long could one possibly bow down? The stench of her blood haunts me even today. Many went for it. 'Flight 73' is a Non-fiction, based on the true events that had happened on 6th September, 1986 while Pan-Am Clipper 73 was hijacked on the ground in Karachi, Pakistan. I realised I couldnt stand. TORRECH . The terrorists, members of the Abu Nidal organization, had planned to crash the plane into a sensitive Israeli target in Tel Aviv. No Thanks If we didnt speak up for ourselves, I cant tell you how victimized we would feel, she said. Even after 30 years, he breaks down at the memory. We were pushed to another compartment of the aircraft. See Her Life in Photos, Mickey Guyton and Grant Savoy's Relationship Timeline, Girl, 11, Speaks Out After Dad's Bear Hug Saves Her Life in Airplane Crash, Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan's Relationship Timeline, The Cutest Longterm Celebrity Couple Throwback Photos, All of Princess Diana's PEOPLE Magazine Covers Through the Years, Shaquille O'Neal and Ex Shaunie's Relationship Timeline, On the 110th Anniversary of Titanic's Sinking, Revisit Chilling Tales of Life and Death from the PEOPLE Archives. When our flight landed in Karachi, the hijackers entered the aircraft wearing security guard uniforms. Neerja's colleagues say she was still alive when she arrived at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. One of the terrorists picked up the baby and started strutting up and down with a machine gun in his hand and a rifle hanging from his shoulder. Maul, Hawaii. Become a Member. Pan Am Flight 73 was a Pan American World Airways flight from Bombay, India, to New York, United States with scheduled stops in Karachi, Pakistan and Frankfurt, West Germany.. On September 5, 1986, the Boeing 747-121 serving the flight was hijacked while on the ground at Karachi by four armed Palestinian men of the Abu Nidal Organization.The aircraft, with 360 passengers on board, had just . The gunmen positioned themselves on either side of the aisles. It was one of the deadliest airplane crashes in the history of the U.S. Basically, they would be taking away 90 percent of the money, she said. Though nearly everyone was paralyzed with fear, Neerja Bhanot wasted no time in trying to diffuse the situation. Her actions led to 359 of the 380 people on-board the plane managing to live through the ordeal. Read about our approach to external linking. I realised I was completely drenched in my mothers blood. Tenn., flight attendant, JOHNSON, Caria, New York City, flight attendant, WARNS, Grores, Blairstown, N.J., flight engineer, See the article in its original context from. Were hoping that with the age-progression photos next to the original photos maybe that will jar some memories or maybe someone has seen these guys walking around.. The court rescheduled the hearing to continue on Wednesday, August 13, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. August 13, 2003 - Legal arguments were held before Judge Sullivan, with the attorneys for the government and the defense arguing their positions on the government's motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the death penalty in this case.