March 31, 2003 - Defense counsel filed reply briefs concerning motions filed on Feb 10, 2003. The pact the Bush administration signed with the Libyan government, which dismissed all other existing lawsuits, applied only to the American passengers on Flight 73, who were in a distinct minority. We were ready to take what was coming, because there was nothing else we could do. 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. No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. The hijacking of Flight 73 was a botched precursor to 9/11. Become a Member. 25-30 passengers were killed and a large number were injured. I noticed that the evacuation hatch on the ceiling of the cockpit was open, but I pretended not to. 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. A total of 112 survivors of Flight 73 had arrived in the United States late Sunday, landing at New York's Kennedy International Airport, where they were met by relatives, friends, reporters and . TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 'Pan Am 103': Parents of one victim tell their tale - CNN Most . 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. 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 made me wear a burkha and we stepped out as the security wasnt allowing me to step out. List of Dead and Survivors on Pan American Plane Nearly 361 passengers, ground crew and 13 flight attendants spent 16 . 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. We put her in the ambulance. History - Remembrance - Syracuse University 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. The report of the Lockerbie Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI), which was held at Dumfries in Scotland from October 1990 to February 1991, explained how Pan Am Flight 103 was sabotaged. It was one of the deadliest airplane crashes in the history of the U.S. September 12, 2002 - Defendant Safarini is arraigned on the superseding indictment and pleads not guilty to each of the counts. There was gunfire. 'Miracle baby' shares her story 40 years after deadly Pan Am - WGNO I thought we were going to die, George said. Four terrorists took position in four corners of the cabin and started shooting and throwing grenades. Massey had already exited down the slide just moments earlier, taking three unaccompanied children with him. Contact Scott Herhold at sherhold@mercurynews.com or 408-275-0917. Captain Robert Bragg was the co-pilot aboard the Pan Am plane, and was one of the few who survived the collision. About 7:00 pm on December 21, Pan Am flight 103, a Boeing 747 en route to New York City from . 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. Forty minutes into the flight, the plane had reached the coast of Scotland. 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. Musician Nayan Pancholi recounts how he lost his eye but survived the Pan Am flight hijack in 1986. They also shed light on the last few hours of Neerja Bhanot, their colleague who died in the attack and is the subject of the new film. There was one airhostess there helping people jump. BY CHANCE: Students who switched tickets escaped the Pan Am Flight 103 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. He had been on a climbing expedition in northern Pakistan to say goodbye to his elder brother Pete, a doctor who had died during . He stopped me from writing. FLIGHT 73: The Inner Story - TARAK GHOSH - Google Books . Sherene, and another colleague Ranee Vaswani, were the last two hostages to leave the plane. I cant imagine what the babys mother must have gone through then.When people began escaping, the terrorists, who initially walked in wearing airport security uniforms, changed their clothes and tried to escape with the rest of us. A Bloody Weekend: The Terror and the Tragedy : Survivors of Pan Am Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago - Syracuse Students who switched tickets escaped the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. In 1986, Pakistani terrorists hijacked a US-bound plane in a drama that left 22 passengers dead. I was wondering if the Pan Am pilots are still living, or even the cabin crew. 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. If you wish to contact the FBI case agent assigned to this matter, Special Agent Michael OCallaghan, any of the prosecutors handling this matter, Jennifer Levy, Gregg Maisel or Robert Bowman, or victim-witness advocate Yvonne Bryant you may do so at USADC.PanAm73@usdoj.gov. Survivors that later died. Who was Neerja Bhanot? Remembering the Hijack Heroine on her 31st death It remains the worlds deadliest air disaster. (From top left): Nupoor, Sunshine, Sherene, Dilip. Pan Am flight attendant who saved travelers from Palestinian terror 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 . I t was September 5, 1986. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. The stench of her blood haunts me even today.". We take you down the emotional journey "Neerja was standing right next to the exit. The pilot picked up on her second attempt and she relayed the hijack code. Over the next few hours on the upper deck, Safarini let his guard down several times, Sunshine says. Later, my friend and I had held another injured friend between our shoulders and escaped. The terrorists, members of the Abu Nidal organization, had planned to crash the plane into a sensitive Israeli target in Tel Aviv. 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. Crew list PanAm *Grubbs, Victor Captain *Bragg, Robert First Officer *Warns, George W. Flight Engineer Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. 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. This 747-121 was a big one, the kind with a second-floor lounge at the front of the plane where passengers could sit and have a drink. (Credits: Solo shots - individuals' own; group shot: Pan Am crew Facebook page), The crew now: (From top left to bottom right), all credits to the individuals) Sherene, Massey, Madhvi, Sunshine, Dilip, Nupoor, Passenger Mike Thexton has praised the flight attendants' bravery, A film has recently been released about Neerja Bhanot, who was fatally injured in the hijack. The Final Eight Minutes | NOVA | PBS I saw Neerja closely when she was collecting passports and another time when they were serving us refreshments.When the terrorists opened fire, my mother fell down injured,while trying to protect and shield me from the bullets. Gargi Dav (pronounced Dah-VAY) is now a 34-year-old attorney who lives in Sunnyvale. When the firing stopped, I ran to the front and someone pushed me out from the exit. In 2010, the couple welcomed a daughter, Melanie naming their baby girl after Trahans late mother. Also, a sentencing date will be scheduled (probably for some time in the spring of 2004). Remembering Neerja Bhanot on hijacked Pan Am Flight 73. 'Neerja', an experience of our lives: Pan Am 73 hijack survivor It was just before 06:00 and Pan Am Flight 73, on a stopover in Karachi from Mumbai, was scheduled to continue on to Frankfurt, en route to New York. "My first instinct was to open the wing exit and slip out with as many passengers as I could, but I realised that this would leave the rest of the passengers vulnerable," then flight attendant Nupoor Abrol told BBC News. Victim impact statements should be submitted to the prosecution team by March 1, 2004. The university's annual Remembrance Week, which runs October 20-26, features a candlelight vigil . These sentences are later commuted to life sentences. May 19, 2003 - A status hearing was held during which the Court decided to vacate (cancel) the September 8th trial date, pending the resolution of the government's motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the death penalty in this case. February 12, 2003 - Legal arguments were held before Judge Sullivan, with the attorneys for the government and the defense arguing their positions on the defendant's motion seeking to bar the death penalty in this case. 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. Safarini was still on board when Pakistan's security forces entered the plane. Pan Am Flight 73, The Terrorist Hijacking That Left 20 Dead "My mother died while shielding and protecting me. Hassan Abd Latif Safarini appeared in court Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase for his role as lead hijacker of Pan Am Flight 73. List of Dead and Survivors on Pan American Plane, https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/29/archives/list-of-dead-and-survivors-on-pan-american-plane.html. The motions hearing will go forward on May 5, 2003. At the end of the proceeding, Judge Sullivan took the matter under advisement and will issue a written decision at a later date. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has learned to cope with unbelievable loss. The other 259 people aboard the aircraft died when the bomb blew apart the jetliner Dec. 21, 1988 or were killed by the 30,000-foot fall . Pity that she was shot at. Victims were also encouraged to submit a victim impact statement and a form was provided to serve as a guide in composing a victim impact statement. Three lives would be saved.". Galas son, Bharat, 32, an Orange County motel owner, met her Monday and interpreted for her. Bloodstain is seen on one of the wings of the Pan Am jetliner on the Karachi Airport, Pakistan on 6 September 1986. A former international cross-country skier who acted as a ski instructor to . Hassan Abd Latif Safarini appeared in court Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase for his role as lead hijacker of Pan Am Flight 73. They didn't discuss the hijack. It was dark and I was very scared.. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. Among them was Kankuben Gala, 67, of Tustin, who also was in a wheelchair. The Pan Am 73 terrorist attack killed 20 passengers and crew and severely injured more than 100 of the 380 persons on board. 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. They were at every exit trying to push us out of the aircraft. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. 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. She went to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. When her dead body arrived in Mumbai, she looked fresh and beautiful because all her wounds were on her back.Had there been a VIP or a minister on our plane; all the lives would have been saved. The other four defendants convicted in connection with the hijacking remain in jail in Pakistan. Then, when all the passengers were off the wing, the crew did something remarkable. Another Southern Californian who died was Kala Singh, a resident alien who lived in La Jolla. NOVA | Transcripts | The Deadliest Plane Crash | PBS As soon as his prayer was over, they started firing indiscriminately. She was killed while helping passengers to escape through emergency exits when hijackers opened fire and set off explosives during the 16-hour ordeal. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre - May 12, 2004 - CNN He was shot by the hijackers when, according to some other passengers, he objected to their rough treatment of a flight attendant. (Karen T. Borchers/Mercury News). THOMAS, Carol, New York, flight attendant.