Earlier Monday, Arun Athavale of Mission Viejo, a computer engineer, arrived here on an American Airlines plane and was met by his wife, Prati, and son, Agay, 4. 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. Meanwhile, inside the plane, 29-year-old American passenger Rajesh Kumar was pulled out of his seat and made to kneel in front of one of the open doors, with a gun to his head. THOMAS, Carol, New York, flight attendant. Crash, 41 Celebrities Who Have Shared Their Miscarriage Stories, in the Hopes of Helping Others, See PEOPLE's Incredible 20-Year Journey Documenting the Children Whose Dads Died on 9/11, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Eventful Decade: From Their Royal Exit to Baby No. Also, a sentencing date will be scheduled (probably for some time in the spring of 2004). She slid out the exit upside down. Sunshine, Madhvi Bahuguna and another flight attendant began collecting passports, quietly avoiding collecting any that were American. We landed on the wing. Pan Am Flight 759 went down shortly after takeoff in a Kenner neighborhood on July 9, 1982, killing all 145 on board. Suffice it to say there are many shades of gray. Spring 2000 - Officials in Pakistan begin making public statements that the jail terms of the hijackers will soon expire. The court date of November 17, 2003, which had previously been set as a date to hear arguments on legal motions not related to the death penalty, has been converted to a status conference. Defendant Safarini will be held in prison pending trial. The United States Attorney's Office In Your Neighborhood. The "Shatter Zone" Portion Of The Reconstructed Fuselage Of Pan Am Flight 103, Which Exploded Over Lockerbie In 1988 Is On Display January 31, 2001. KERSHAW, Dorothea, Borrego Springs, Calif. TANEMURA, Roy, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Sherene says she knew then that time was running out. I lay down on my family, my small child and other baby . Just 61 people survived, all from the Pan Am jumbo jet. We saw another lady, Utpala Desai, coming out seriously injured. Her older sister is a physician with a practice in Southern California. The motions hearing will continue on Monday, June 16, 2003. We take you down the emotional journey "Neerja was standing right next to the exit. Once the death penalty issue is resolved, including any appeal, if one is filed, a new trial date will be set. 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. The couple grabbed their daughters and ran to the exit, only to find themselves on a wing, 18 feet above the ground, without an escape chute. September 28, 2001 - Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini, one of the men convicted in Pakistan for his role in the hijacking of Pan Am flight 73, is captured by the FBI shortly after he was released from jail by Pakistan. We just started jumping. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Galas son, Bharat, 32, an Orange County motel owner, met her Monday and interpreted for her. December 30, 2002 - Attorneys for defendant Safarini file a reply brief in support of their motion seeking to bar the death penalty against the defendant. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . 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. April 10, 2003 - The Court issued a legal opinion, ruling that the death penalty is not available in this case. The court suspended the hearing before it was completed due to a lack of sufficient interpreters for the defendant. A 16-hour standoff at Jinnah International Airport in Karchi ended with 22 hostages dead and some 150 injured. Get FBI email alerts I told the terrorist I wanted some water. She fell on my shoulder, while I felt a hot ball of fire going up my feet. 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. Working hard and making money was on my mind until I went through this incident. The attack on Pan Am Flight 73 resulted in the murder of 20 passengers and crew, including two Americans; the attempted murder of 379 passengers and crew; and the wounding of more than 100 . They were on Pan Am Flight 1736. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The terrorists began screaming in Arabic. The stench of her blood haunts me even today. He was shot by the hijackers when, according to some other passengers, he objected to their rough treatment of a flight attendant. May 9, 2003 - The government filed a motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the United States from Seeking the Death Penalty in this case. Having failed to find an American, the militants settled for someone British. The only two American citizens confirmed killed were Orange County residents. He was not related to Kuverben Patel, 80, Kumars grandmother, who was also among the passengers killed. 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. At one point she looked longingly at the emergency axe in a glass box in the cockpit. On December 21 Pan Am Flight 103 crashed on Lockerbie after the bombing of a Boeing 747-121. On Pan Am 1736, seven of the 16-member flight crew, along with two company employees and 61 passengers, survived, although nine later died of their injuries. It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant. Scott Herhold is a former San Jose metro columnist. They were not aggressive as such but panic started after the power supply went off. We went to all the hospitals looking for our people. After a short break all the Flight 73 crew returned to Pan Am for at least a few years. The pilot picked up on her second attempt and she relayed the hijack code. 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 fundamental issue is whether the sisters are showing great courage in standing up to a big law firm for what should be theirs or whether they are, in essence, greedy. "The pilots evacuating the airplane meant that we were not at the mercy of the terrorists, who could have instructed the plane to be flown into a building, or even blown up whilst in flight.". I could see the terrorists walking up and down the aisle, trying to negotiate. At the sentencing, the judge will consider victim impact evidence from those who survived Pan Am 73 as well as from family members or friends of those who were killed. Being fond of writing, I was jotting down my feelings on a piece of paper. Meherjee Kharas, a 28-year-old Pan Am mechanic on board, was forced to make radio contact with negotiators outside. Well, kind of, Video shows Memphis jailers beating Black inmate before his death, Skin lesion removed from President Bidens chest last month was cancerous, doctor says, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Latinx Files: In praise of Jenna Ortega, Aubrey Plaza and moody, deadpan Latinas. When the survivors recall the deadly memory, their hearts start racing and their spines become chilled. Trahan graduated from Louisiana State University with a major in theater production and moved to Orlando, Florida, where she worked at Disney Studios. 2 and Beyond, FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Shocking Death of Princess Diana, 25 Years Ago Today. The Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO) is a Palestinian militant group, now considered largely inactive. Her sister suffered severe damage to her feet when she leapt from the plane. Otherwise wed have panicked. (Karen T. Borchers/Mercury News). She was killed while helping passengers to escape through emergency exits when hijackers opened fire and set off explosives during the 16-hour ordeal. Read a copy of the handbook "Coping After Terrorism: Information for Victims and Survivors of Pan Am Flight #73 Hijacking May 12-13, 2004 - A sentencing proceeding was held before Judge Sullivan, attended by more than 50 victims and family members, many of whom provided powerful and emotional statements during the two-day proceeding. August 29, 1991 - A 126-count indictment is returned under seal (i.e., in secret) by a grand jury in the District of Columbia. September 5, 1986 - Hijacking of Pan Am flight #73 in Karachi, Pakistan. Documents on this page are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF) and a PDF reader is required for viewing. Philadelphia, flight attendant. "The flight attendant smiled throughout the incident despite the fear surrounding her," Mitra said. It remains the worlds deadliest air disaster. SARP, Aytel, Arlington. She went back to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the FBI or submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov. The stench of her blood haunts me even today.". . Her husband, Sadanand Singh, said she was killed when she threw herself in front of her son and daughter. They were at every exit trying to push us out of the aircraft. CORNELIUS, MRS. D., Woodland Hill, Calif. HALLDORSON, Raymond, Laguna Hills, Calif. JOHNSTON, Patricia, Newport Beach, Calif. McCULLOUGH, Gertrude, Santa Barbara, Calif. MITCHELL, Walter, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, MITCHELL, Evonne, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. He had grenades on him. Neerja's colleagues say she was still alive when she arrived at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital. The US was paid 1.5 billion dollars in compensation by Libya. Neerja was standing right next to the exit. In panic mode, they opened gunfire. Among them was Kankuben Gala, 67, of Tustin, who also was in a wheelchair. Musician Nayan Pancholi recounts how he lost his eye but survived the Pan Am flight hijack in 1986. During their interviews with the BBC, they stressed that there was no single hero that day, that crew members not interviewed played an equally important role, and that they want survivors of terror attacks like 9/11 and Paris to know that life goes on. Khanjan Dalal, who survived the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986, has lauded Sonam Kapoor starrer "Neerja" a biopic on Neerja Bhanot, the flight bursar who lost her life while saving others on the hijacked flight. Thats when the aggressive terrorist came up to us with his gun, warning us not to talk. 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. Once they finally got to the hospital, the chaos continued, Sherene says. Two of the six remain in the industry. He said images of the suspects obtained by the FBI in the year 2000 were age-progressed by the FBI Laboratory. The Sentencing Response Form should be submitted by February 12, 2004. The Dav sisters scampered over the top of the seats to find the emergency exit as the gunfire and grenades erupted. 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. Neerja may still be alive if she'd been cared for right away," says Sunshine. May 5, 2003 - The court heard testimony from two FBI agents in connection with the defendant's motion to suppress statements and the defendant's speedy trial motion. They saw another door had been deployed in automatic, which meant that the emergency slide was inflated. He told the four men that the airport authorities were looking for pilots to fly them where they needed to go. 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. ", See a copy of the Sentencing Response Form, See a copy of the Victim Impact Statement Form, Read a copy of the handbook "Coping After Terrorism: Information for Victims and Survivors of Pan Am Flight #73 Hijacking, May 12-13, 2004 - A sentencing proceeding was held before Judge Sullivan, attended by more than 50 victims and family members, many of whom provided powerful and emotional statements during the two-day proceeding. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America. 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. I wanted to give the pilots time to escape in case they were still in the process of climbing down the ropes outside the plane. 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. An official website of the United States government. He had been on a climbing expedition in northern Pakistan to say goodbye to his elder brother Pete, a doctor who had died during . The Court finds that the ends of justice will be served by allowing the parties additional time to prepare for trial. 25th 1977, two 747's crashed into each other in. Neerja Bhanot (7 September 1963 - 5 September 1986) was an Indian purser who died while saving passengers on Pan Am Flight 73 which had been hijacked by terrorists from a terrorist organization during a stopover in Karachi, Pakistan, on 5 September 1986, just two days before her 23rd birthday.Posthumously, she became and remains the youngest recipient of India's highest peacetime gallantry . Hassan Abd Latif Safarini appeared in court Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase for his role as lead hijacker of Pan Am Flight 73. 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. Like I say, there are many shades of gray here. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has . I thought we were going to die, George said. The great eye opener though was the compassion shown by Pakistanis. The law firms own 25 percent fees also figure in the debate. The initial agreement between the passengers was "designed to avoid infighting," Newberger wrote. In a sense, hers is an utterly American stance. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Column: Did the DOJ just say Donald Trump can be held accountable for Jan. 6? He joked and flirted, invited her to go with him to Cyprus, and promised to teach her to swim. Mike Thexton, a passenger on the plane, describes the act in his book What Happened to The Hippy Man? BKELUND, Christine, New York, flight attendant, HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant, LUKER, Marilyn. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. There was one airhostess there helping people jump. Amid sobs and applause from victims and relatives of those killed in the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan, Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini -- leader of an Abu Nidal terrorist . Saturday marked 40 years since Pan Am 759 crashed into a Kenner neighborhood, killing all 146 people on board and eight people on the ground.The only survivor on the ground was 16 . She persuaded them to let the children drink water too. 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. April 11, 2003 - A status hearing was held before Judge Sullivan. I realised I couldnt stand. 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. November 7, 2001 - The Court finds that, due to the complexity of the case, it would be unreasonable to expect the parties to prepare for trial within the time limits established by the Speedy Trial Act (usually 70 days). '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. Safarini, mid-joke, caught her and immediately pointed the gun at her head. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Basically, they would be taking away 90 percent of the money, she said. She went to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. Janki Vyas VasantProfession: Founder of Samvedna, an NGOAge: 51At the tender age of 20, I saw death so closely, losing two of my close friend and a teacher. When the day ended, almost everyone survived the hijack, thanks to Neerja's quick-thinking . as "extremely brave, selfless and clever". 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. A plea proceeding date was set for Tuesday, December 16, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. and the status hearing previously scheduled for November 17, 2003, has been canceled. Another person who was on the wings jumped down and broke his legs. How much is naturally a matter of debate. Her sister could get as much. When armed terrorists stormed the plane on the tarmac in Karachi, Pakistan, early on Sept. 5, 1986, Dav was 10 years old, flying with her 13-year-old sister from India to the United States. No matter how much time has passed or the obstacles we encounter,the case agent said, we owe it to the victims and their families to never give up on them.. Clipper 1736 Pan Am 1736 carries 378 passengers, 16 crew, and two Pan Am employees, who boarded in Tenerife and are sitting in the cockpit jumpseats. The motion will be argued on July 21, 2003. Aside from one sharp kick, he says, he was not physically mistreated and eventually escaped with others in the later chaos. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up, The problem with Pablo Escobars hippos. And then another militant, his AK-47 and grenades in clear view, instructed Sunshine to take him to the captain. Around four hours into the siege, the hijackers began trying to identify the Americans on board. We stood still and numb, long after the end credits rolled. T. M. George, 45, an auto parts store manager, was wounded in the back when he tried to shield his family from gunfire. February 10, 2003 - The attorneys for the defense and the government filed pretrial motions and notices. Tenerife killing approx. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Print. Subscribe The answer: "We are Pan Am Flight 914 en route from New York to Miami, Florida, with a crew of 4 and 57 passengers on board." At this point, the control tower personnel were stunned in silence. She was allowed to lie down. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? The hijacking of Flight 73 was a botched precursor to 9/11. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. "They had lost patience. Though nearly everyone was paralyzed with fear, Neerja Bhanot wasted no time in trying to diffuse the situation. "Neerja's life may have been saved were conditions in the hospital better.". Joe Biden's Sister Valerie Opens Up: 'We Bleed Like Every Family in America', Pregnant Woman, 25, and Man Who Recently Celebrated His 20th Wedding Anniversary Killed in Mo. He showed so much grace in trouble, barring borders and perceptions. . The elderly woman, a resident of a village outside Bombay, had been on her way to Southern California with Kumar and Kumars aunt, Gangaben Patel. All 259 people on board were killed, and 11 individuals on the ground also died. No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. He made me wear a burkha and we stepped out as the security wasnt allowing me to step out. I could have run to the terminus. TANEMURA, Aya, Kelowna, Bristish Columbia, ?? 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. January 2008 - Pakistan reportedly released from jail the remaining four hijackers who had been convicted in 1988. No Thanks I realised I was completely drenched in my mothers blood. Other terrified passengers had jumped down on top of her at Karachi, she explained. There was complete chaos at the Sahar airport when we returned. The FBIs Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama is the only facility in the country that trains and certifies the nations public safety bomb technicians. See a copy of the superseding indictment. At the airport we identified them and they were captured by the security officials. We were put up in a hotel. One lady amongst us, Trupti, complained of a headache. Towards the end, they were frustrated because they were looking for pilots and there were none.After a point when it was dark, this leader, I remember him being addressed as Mustafa, said his prayers in a high pitch. See the press release concerning the guilty plea, See a copy of the signed plea agreement concerning the guilty plea, See a copy of the of the facts proffered by the government to which the defendant admitted guilt under oath, January 20, 2004 - Letters were mailed to victims whose addresses are known to the prosecution. A form was provided for victims to let the prosecution team know if they are interested in attending and/or speaking at the sentencing proceeding. Va., flight attendant. (From top left): Nupoor, Sunshine, Sherene, Dilip. That incident changed my outlook towards life. Age: 40Profession: ArtistI was 12 then and travelling with my mother Trupti Dalal. We went back inside trying to exit from another door during which we lost each other. If we run across information about someone else, said the spokeswoman, who did not want to be identified, were not averse to passing it on. '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.