They gave us strength. Over a long time, it looked like the Dav sisters and the rest of the passengers on the Pan Am flight would never see a penny in compensation for their suffering. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. They threw the hand grenades too, one of which fell on my friend Rupal (18), sitting next to me. Members Only. December 16, 2003 - Defendant Safarini pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to all 95 counts of the superseding indictment against him in connection with the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. 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. A family from Karachi later got me clothes and shoes. Nearly 361 passengers, ground crew and 13 flight attendants spent 16 . They let out a war cry," says Sunshine, "and began firing into the crowd. Pan Am flight 73 hijacking, takeover of a Pan American World Airways jet on September 5, 1986, by hijackers linked to the Ab Nil Organization. Neerja's colleagues say she was still alive when she arrived at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital. 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. Bloodstain is seen on one of the wings of the Pan Am jetliner on the Karachi Airport, Pakistan on 6 September 1986. emailStay Connected 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. 583 lives were lost when a KLM 747 collided with a Pan Am 747 at Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport (TFN). In panic mode, they opened gunfire. '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. T. M. George, 45, an auto parts store manager, was wounded in the back when he tried to shield his family from gunfire. Making sure that victims of crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. I was wondering if the Pan Am pilots are still living, or even the cabin crew. 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. The flight attendants were supportive, smart and composed throughout. BY xms3200 - Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:04 am. 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. Later, my friend and I had held another injured friend between our shoulders and escaped. Today, shes taken a leave from her San Diego-based firm to help with the Flight 73 litigation. 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. The $5 million reward is offered through the State Departments Rewards for Justice Program. "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. Later, as Pakistani commandos prepared to raid, the gunmen opened fire inside the cabin. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. "Neerja was put into the ambulance without a stretcher.". Had the terrorists got all the US passports initially, the picture could have been different and even more drastic.One baby was crying continuously. The terrorists began screaming in Arabic. Murdaughs fall from grace ends in a life sentence for murder, CPAC shows the GOP has deep divisions that may prove impossible to repair, Abortion clinics crossing state borders not always welcome, Black Vietnam veteran finally awarded Medal of Honor, Toxic forever chemicals about to get their first U.S. limits, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Best coffee city in the world? Neerja Bhanot was working as a senior flight attendant for Pan American World Airways when tragedy struck on the morning of Sept. 5, 1986. The Pan Am 73 terrorist attack killed 20 passengers and crew and severely injured more than 100 of the 380 persons on board. New Delhi, UPDATED: Sep 5, 2017 17:13 IST. Another person who was on the wings jumped down and broke his legs. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the FBI or submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov. A former international cross-country skier who acted as a ski instructor to . Our tickets got confirmed at the last moment in Pan-Am Flight-73, which was headed to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt from . Tenerife killing approx. Spring 2000 - Officials in Pakistan begin making public statements that the jail terms of the hijackers will soon expire. The PanAm had also survivors, before the names of the survivors appears a * Content of the page: Crewlist of the PanAm. And screams.". The other hijackers were released from their Pakistani jail in 2008, against the wishes of India and the US. . Read about our approach to external linking. (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. At this stage the hijackers still believed a pilot would be found to fly the plane for them. Sunshine, Madhvi Bahuguna and another flight attendant began collecting passports, quietly avoiding collecting any that were American. 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. See a Message on the 25th Anniversary of the Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. When the survivors recall the deadly memory, their hearts start racing and their spines become chilled. 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. Then we were told to rest our heads on our hands and bend down. They threw the hand grenades too, one of which fell on my friend Rupal, sitting next to me. [17], One of the four, Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, was allegedly killed in a dr Sunshine remained alert. I experienced compassion from a stranger, that too a Pakistani. PARKER, Isabella, Capistrano Bench, Calif. PENKSTAFF, Mrs. Charles San Diego, Calif. SEACRIST, Katherine, Lthaina. On September 5, 1986, Thexton boarded Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . He also recommended that the Bureau of Prisons assign the defendant to the Administrative Maximum facility in Florence, Colorado, also referred to as "SuperMax. She could have easily escaped first but she chose to push everyone else out. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. But, Pan Am Flight 214 . 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. I told the terrorist I wanted some water. 270 people were killed, including 11 people in the town. 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 other was identified by the State Department on Monday as Surendra Manubhal Patel, 50, of Fullerton, a computer programmer who was returning home from a vacation with his two daughters. Her sister could get as much. December 3, 2009 - The FBI announced that it has added the four fugitive hijackers to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. Onboard: 73 passengers and eight crew members. Calling the fight sad and disheartening, Newberger said the sharing clause was originally put in the agreement to stop infighting among the 178 plaintiffs. Ill get to the details in a second. We saw another lady, Utpala Desai, coming out seriously injured. Contact the Webmaster to submit comments. We just started jumping. 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 . 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. The university's annual Remembrance Week, which runs October 20-26, features a candlelight vigil . It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. But for how long could one possibly bow down? I noticed that the evacuation hatch on the ceiling of the cockpit was open, but I pretended not to. 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. 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. BKELUND, Christine, New York, flight attendant, HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant, LUKER, Marilyn. 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. Some survivors of the ill-fated PanAm flight 73 recount the sordid memories of that September day in 1986 when the airhostess gave up her life in the line of duty. Khanjan Dalal, who survived the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986, has lauded Sonam Kapoor starrer "Neerja". "I didn't see medical facilities at the airport besides minor first aid The hospital was several kilometres away from the airport," says Dilip. We were pushed to another compartment of the aircraft. She was calm and responsible right up to the end. Neerja had been shot in her hip and was bleeding heavily, but was conscious. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 25th 1977, two 747's crashed into each other in. Please use portrait mode for best experience. When the day ended, almost everyone survived the hijack, thanks to Neerja's quick-thinking . KENNER, La. 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. On December 21, Pan Am 103 was beginning the second leg of its Frankfurt-London-New York-Detroit route. Neerja swayed the terrorists to allow us to use the washroom telling them that the passengers would cooperate better if they were allowed. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Otherwise wed have panicked. Her actions led to 359 of the 380 people on-board the plane managing to live through the ordeal. Those who were sitting straight got shot in the legs while others who had ducked got shot in the heads as their guns were pointed downwards. Va., flight attendant. "Many have criticised the pilots for leaving the rest of the crew behind, but I was relieved when I saw the pilots were gone, as we were all safer on the ground than we would be in the air. 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. And their battle offers a fascinating glimpse at the conflicts that erupt between victims and their lawyers. 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. Irja Skabo, 38, was one of Pan Am's more experienced stewardesses and she often worked in the first class cabin. As the movie Neerja is releasing today, I thought it would be great to bring this story to all of you. The victims were recognized for their extraordinary bravery during the September 5, 1986 terrorist hijacking of Pan Am . "The flight attendant smiled throughout the incident despite the fear surrounding her," Mitra said. 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's been over 25 years since the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73, in Karachi, Pakistan, and a number of survivors are renewing their calls to Congress for compensation from the Foreign Claims . Her husband, Sadanand Singh, said she was killed when she threw herself in front of her son and daughter. We used to give up that position for a bit, or talk and whisper to each other. 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. 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. Forty minutes into the flight, the plane had reached the coast of Scotland. 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. Maybe, it was a sign from God to avoid flying but somehow we managed to take the flight. Pity that she was shot at. March 31, 2003 - Defense counsel filed reply briefs concerning motions filed on Feb 10, 2003. One of the hijackers removed a blanket and covered her with it because she was wearing a short skirt. The gunmen's plan was to force the pilots to fly them to Cyprus and Israel, where other members of their militant group were incarcerated on terror charges. I was told to go alone and on my way back, I came across a water dispenser. 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. 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. 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.. Suffice it to say there are many shades of gray. Under the U.S. federal claims settlement rules, lawyers are only able to retain 10 percent of any settlements. Being fond of writing, I was jotting down my feelings on a piece of paper. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . It was his birthday and he was taking revenge. 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. I t was September 5, 1986. Our responsibility is to assist U.S. citizens.. 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. 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. 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. 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. Security forces laid siege to the New York-bound plane for 16 hours at Karachi airport after the jet was taken over by Palestinian militants on 5 September 1986. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Column: Did the DOJ just say Donald Trump can be held accountable for Jan. 6? The letter also contained a handbook entitled "Coping After Terrorism: Information for Victims and Survivors of the Pan Am Flight #73 Hijacking. Shama, another friend, had two bullet injuries in her head. On the hand he was he giving me water and on the other he was still a threat to my life. Gargi Dav (pronounced Dah-VAY) is now a 34-year-old attorney who lives in Sunnyvale. My friend was drenched in blood. November 12, 2003 - A status conference was held before Judge Sullivan at which the parties announced that a plea agreement has been reached in the case. Pan Am officials said 16 survivors of the hijacking were booked on the plane that arrived in Los Angeles from New York on Monday afternoon. As the shooting began to die down, said George, a flight attendant called out that an emergency exit was open. Over the next few hours on the upper deck, Safarini let his guard down several times, Sunshine says. 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. March 27, 1977 is a date permanently etched in aviation history. (Photo: AP) In 2003, Zayd Safrini pleaded guilty to 95 charges which included . They turned and ran back through the plane--and some gunfire--to the other wing, where they were able to slide to safety. Safarini was still on board when Pakistan's security forces entered the plane. 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. But a New York law firm is trying to wrest 90 percent of the settlement away from Dave and nine other survivors. But I opted to carry a young lady, who was severely injured and sadly died in my arms. 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. We stood still and numb, long after the end credits rolled. "Survivors [of such atrocities] are living each day with the memories," says Madhvi. On September 5, 1986, Pan Am flight 73, a Boeing 747, departed Mumbai for New York with scheduled stops in Karchi and Frankfurt. My father, Kalpesh Dalal, was extremely disturbed. Captain Robert Bragg was the co-pilot aboard the Pan Am plane, and was one of the few who survived the collision. The crew of Pan Am Flight 73 (three of whom are pictured here with their colleagues) were all in their early to mid 20s at the time of the hijack. Her sister suffered severe damage to her feet when she leapt from the plane. KERSHAW, Dorothea, Borrego Springs, Calif. TANEMURA, Roy, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Meherjee, the mechanic, told Safarini that the emergency power would last 15 minutes or so before the aircraft would be plunged into darkness. 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. "I noticed immediately that the escape devices in the cockpit had been deployed. The only two American citizens confirmed killed were Orange County residents. This is where the fine print matters. It was a short jump to reach the wing of the plane. October 17, 1990. And in any case, at least the three pilots were safe. Nupoor tried to comfort the passengers around her while her colleague Dilip Bidichandani took round sandwiches and Neerja distributed water. He said of a family of four sitting across the aisle from him: Two of them were killed and the others were wounded.. He joked and flirted, invited her to go with him to Cyprus, and promised to teach her to swim. She was allowed to lie down. The terrorists, members of the Abu Nidal organization, had planned to crash the plane into a sensitive Israeli target in Tel Aviv. Outside, four gunmen had sped on to the tarmac in a van disguised as airport security. Victim impact statements should be submitted to the prosecution team by March 1, 2004. I hid below the seats so I was saved. Nupoor saw them shoot near the feet of a colleague, shouting at her to lock the door. He held the gun in one hand and with the other he gave me water. Massey had already exited down the slide just moments earlier, taking three unaccompanied children with him. Melissa Missy Trahan was just 16 months old when she was rescued from the rubble of Pan Am Flight 759 in Kenner, Louisiana, on July 9, 1982. "My mother died while shielding and protecting me. 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 . One person opened the door that led to the wing of the plane. 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 . 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. There was a bloody end - 22 people killed and about 150 injured. She was calm and responsible right up to the end. Some Southlanders will not be coming home. Similar findings are made by the Court on May 3, 2002, and again on November 1, 2002. No Thanks The passenger plane crashed in a residential area of Kenner soon after . I lay down on my family, my small child and other baby . She was killed while helping passengers to escape through emergency exits when hijackers opened fire and set off explosives during the 16-hour ordeal. Trahan, dubbed the "Miracle Baby of Pan Am Flight 759," was the sole survivor of the crash, sustaining no serious injuries. The four suspectsWadoud Muhammad Hafiz al-Turki, Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, Muhammad Abdullah Khalil Hussain ar-Rahayyal, and Muhammad Ahmed al-Munawarare believed to have been members of the Abu Nidal Organization, which was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State. For her part, Gargi firmly rejects the notion that she is trying to put herself ahead of any other victim. The court set a briefing schedule regarding the government's motion to reconsider the death penalty ruling. 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 . I could have run to the terminus. The gunmen positioned themselves on either side of the aisles. Asked about the role of Pakistani commandos in ending the hijack episode, he said grimly, None of the people saw any commandos., When the lights went out in the plane, he said, the terrorists killed indiscriminately, firing their machine guns from less than a yard away.. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. These were the 2 cockpit observers who may as well be considered passengers, 2 flight attendants, and 12 passengers. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Basically, they would be taking away 90 percent of the money, she said. The stench of her blood haunts me even today. They were on Pan Am Flight 1736. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. They had only genuine feelings for us and our country. Sonam Kapoors Neerja has brought alive memories of the braveheart Neerja Bhanot. Dilip Bidichandani, another steward, is adamant that the pilots' escape actually saved more lives. They have thrown every bit of their resources into trying to shut her up.. The letters provided information about defendant Safarini's guilty plea and encouraged victims to attend the scheduled sentencing proceeding. ", 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. Eventually the militants threatened that, as a pilot had not materialised, a passenger would be shot every 15 minutes. After complaints by families in the United States that they had been unable to get accurate information about their kin on the jetliner, a spokeswoman for a State Department task force said American consular officials were empowered only to deal with U.S. citizens. Then I was pushed gently from an exit and I landed on the tarmac. Gargi Dave was among the survivors of a shootout aboard a jetliners hijacked by Pakistani terrorists. At the . On Mar. After escaping out an emergency window, Gargi and her sister, Giatri, were badly injured when they fell from wing to ground. An official website of the United States government. Although the hijackers had closed the doors and lowered the shutters earlier, the air conditioning and lights had been on. He had been on a climbing expedition in northern Pakistan to say goodbye to his elder brother Pete, a doctor who had died during . Other terrified passengers had jumped down on top of her at Karachi, she explained. He caught me doing that and asked whether I was a journalist. The motions hearing will continue on Monday, June 16, 2003. The hijacking of Flight 73 was a botched precursor to 9/11. My co-passenger, a German national, woke me up informing that our plane was hijacked. But win or lose, what strikes me is how a 10-year-old victim has grown up to be an intelligent and passionate young lawyer willing to take on a big international law firm that has threatened her with legal reprisals. The spokeswoman said anyone calling the State Department for information about a permanent resident would have been advised to call the embassy representing the passengers nationality.