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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Twenty people killed, more than 100 injured. December 12, 2002 - The government files a notice of its intent to seek the death penalty against defendant Safarini, as well as a legal brief in response to defendant Safarini's motion seeking to bar the availability of the death penalty in this case. Interim status hearing dates were set for February 18, 2004, and April 14, 2004. "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. Four terrorists took position in four corners of the cabin and started shooting and throwing grenades. 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. Neerja had been shot in her hip and was bleeding heavily, but was conscious. That plot was averted when the pilots climbed out of an emergency cockpit of the Boeing 747. 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. At this stage the hijackers still believed a pilot would be found to fly the plane for them. Maybe, it was a sign from God to avoid flying but somehow we managed to take the flight. Nupoor saw them shoot near the feet of a colleague, shouting at her to lock the door. Captain Robert Bragg was the co-pilot aboard the Pan Am plane, and was one of the few who survived the collision. 270 people were killed, including 11 people in the town. At the sentencing in the spring of 2004, 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. Suffice it to say there are many shades of gray. I could have run to the terminus. By law, the government will have 30 days to decide whether to appeal this ruling. He caught me doing that and asked whether I was a journalist. Sunshine and Dilip were also on the wing, but in the darkness couldn't gauge the distance of the drop. When no pilot materialised within the hour, Mr Kumar was shot and kicked out of the plane. Gargi Dave was among the survivors of a shootout aboard a jetliners hijacked by Pakistani terrorists. KERSHAW, Dorothea, Borrego Springs, Calif. TANEMURA, Roy, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. But Pan-American Flight 759 crashed . Under the U.S. federal claims settlement rules, lawyers are only able to retain 10 percent of any settlements. Neerja Bhanot. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has learned to cope with unbelievable loss. 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. As part of that agreement, the Dav sisters signed a document called a Joint Prosecuting Agreement, which obligated them to share money from any judgments with all the Crowell & Moring plaintiffs, including non-Americans. Trahan, dubbed the Miracle Baby of Pan Am Flight 759, was the sole survivor of the crash, sustaining no serious injuries. Safarini was still on board when Pakistan's security forces entered the plane. Hassan Abd Latif Safarini appeared in court Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase for his role as lead hijacker of Pan Am Flight 73. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. The Joint Prosecuting Agreement has language that may protect the law firm and cut against the Dav sisters. I experienced compassion from a stranger, that too a Pakistani. They let out a war cry," says Sunshine, "and began firing into the crowd. 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. But if they accede to the demands of the law firm, Crowell & Moring, to share the money with the 137 non-Americans in the case, the Davs estimate they would lose 90 percent of the money negotiated for them. A passenger informed that his mother had probably had died inside. The Court finds that the ends of justice will be served by allowing the parties additional time to prepare for trial. The PanAm had also survivors, before the names of the survivors appears a * Content of the page: Crewlist of the PanAm. March 27, 1977 is a date permanently etched in aviation history. "Survivors [of such atrocities] are living each day with the memories," says Madhvi. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . The latter apparently was not hurt. 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. "The flight attendant smiled throughout the incident despite the fear surrounding her," Mitra said. The Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO) is a Palestinian militant group, now considered largely inactive. And in any case, at least the three pilots were safe. HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant. They threw the hand grenades too, one of which fell on my friend Rupal (18), sitting next to me. We were travelling to the USA for a series of performances. 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.. Sunshine, Madhvi Bahuguna and another flight attendant began collecting passports, quietly avoiding collecting any that were American. The victims were recognized for their extraordinary bravery during the September 5, 1986 terrorist hijacking of Pan Am . 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. Once they finally got to the hospital, the chaos continued, Sherene says. Can religion save us from Artificial Intelligence? 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. View a copy of the Court's legal opinion on the availability of the death penalty in this case. Later, my friend and I had held another injured friend between our shoulders and escaped. Victim impact statements can be given in written or recorded form, and a limited number of victims will be permitted to give in-court testimony. 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 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. The Indian-born couple had taken their children on a vacation to Bombay and were returning home when the aircraft was commandeered. Not hearing any more gunfire, but not knowing where the gunmen were, they went back into the dark plane to look for survivors. Lynn Hartunian, 21, who was a student at SUNY Oswego, was one of the passengers killed on Pan Am Flight 103. Judge Sullivan also recommended that the defendant never receive parole. 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 . March 31, 2003 - Defense counsel filed reply briefs concerning motions filed on Feb 10, 2003. Those who knew and loved these people will never forget the moment they discovered the nearly unbearable truth. Passengerlist of the PamAm. The powerful emotions that stick in Gargi Davs heart and mind from the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 nearly a quarter-century ago mix the horrific with the unexpectedly kind, the blessing of survival with the resolve not to be victimized again. We take you down the emotional journey "Neerja was standing right next to the exit. Age: 40Profession: ArtistI was 12 then and travelling with my mother Trupti Dalal. It departed from Los Angeles bound for the . I knew we couldnt jump down from the high wing. Spring 2000 - Officials in Pakistan begin making public statements that the jail terms of the hijackers will soon expire. My friend was drenched in blood. Other terrified passengers had jumped down on top of her at Karachi, she explained. There was gunfire. Our tickets got confirmed at the last moment on Pan-Am Flight-73, which was headed from Mumbai to New York, via Karachi and Frankfurt. Today, the California sisters, along with several other passengers from Flight 73, are locked in a legal struggle with the law firm that represented them in the battle to win damages from the government of Libya, which funded the hijackers. One lady amongst us, Trupti, complained of a headache. The Dav sisters scampered over the top of the seats to find the emergency exit as the gunfire and grenades erupted. 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. Neerja seemed like just any other airhostess until we reached Karachi and the terrorists took over. It remains the worlds deadliest air disaster. She could have easily been the first one to escape but she chose to push everyone else out. 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. Having failed to find an American, the militants settled for someone British. It was blamed for a string of attacks in the 1970s and 80s, killing and wounding hundreds of people, The Pan Am crew were recognised with courage awards by the airline in 1986, the US Department of Justice in 2005 and the US attorney general in 2006. [17], One of the four, Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, was allegedly killed in a dr 19 Jan, 2018, 11.19 PM IST. Bloodstain is seen on one of the wings of the Pan Am jetliner on the Karachi Airport, Pakistan on 6 September 1986. 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. 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. We stood still and numb, long after the end credits rolled. Outside, four gunmen had sped on to the tarmac in a van disguised as airport security. The other hijackers were released from their Pakistani jail in 2008, against the wishes of India and the US. Similar findings are made by the Court on May 3, 2002, and again on November 1, 2002. The stench of her blood haunts me even today. Pity that she was shot at. One person opened the door that led to the wing of the plane. Meherjee Kharas, a 28-year-old Pan Am mechanic on board, was forced to make radio contact with negotiators outside. Among them was Kankuben Gala, 67, of Tustin, who also was in a wheelchair. 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. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. More information will be provided to victims concerning submitting a victim impact. It took a tremendous amount of courage, said her attorney, Boyd. But for how long could one possibly bow down? 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. 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 . Eventually, she moved back to New Orleans and married Joe Ferrara, whom she called the boy next door in the Times-Picayune story. Grubbs was not among the survivors. . 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. It showed they were ruthless killers," says Sunshine. 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. Age: 50Profession: BusinessmanI was 21 then. They didn't discuss the hijack. The men entered the Boeing 747, firing shots into the air. 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. Ill get to the details in a second. The main leader, who was directing the other three men, was in charge of our compartment. Survivors that later died. Outside on the tarmac, Pan Am's Karachi director Viraf Doroga used a megaphone to begin negotiations with the hijackers. Lynne Carol Hartunian , 21, Schenectady, N.Y. (SUNY Oswego) Anthony Lacey Hawkins , 57 . He spoke to Witness about that terrible disaster. May 30, 2003 - Defendant filed his response to the government's motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the death penalty in this case. On Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, India sees 'Neerja' again. We landed on the wing. 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. Tenerife killing approx. That fateful night our tickets were not confirmed. I thought we were going to die, George said. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Documents on this page are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF) and a PDF reader is required for viewing. Nevertheless, Crowell & Mooring has insisted that the sharing provision applies. Though Gargi had to take medication for years because of her head injury, she excelled in college and went on to graduate from the USC School of Law. When our flight landed in Karachi, the hijackers entered the aircraft wearing security guard uniforms. In the past several weeks, the Indian and Indian-American victims of the Pan Am 73 flight have renewed their efforts in both Washington and New Delhi, pushing the two governments to get them the . Fellow attendant Sunshine Vesuwala saw one of the hijackers grab a colleague, Neerja Bhanot, and put a gun to her head. "It was 5th September 1986. Pan Am Flight 816 was an international flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to San Francisco, California, via Tahiti, French Polynesia and Los Angeles.It was operated by a Pan Am Boeing 707-321B bearing the registration N417PA and named Clipper Winged Racer.On July 22, 1973, at 10:06 P.M. local time, the Boeing 707 took off from Faa'a International Airport in Papeete. If we didnt speak up for ourselves, I cant tell you how victimized we would feel, she said. He was shot by the hijackers when, according to some other passengers, he objected to their rough treatment of a flight attendant. As evening set in, the on-board power supply started to dwindle, the lights got dimmer and the cool air stopped circulating. Please use portrait mode for best experience. We had no choice but to follow the terrorists instructions. At the airport we identified them and they were captured by the security officials. Sixteen-month-old Melissa Trahan, on stretcher, is rushed from the scene of the crash of Pan Am Flight 759 in Kenner, La. The university's annual Remembrance Week, which runs October 20-26, features a candlelight vigil . After the crash, Trahan and her father, who was working when the plane hit, moved away from Kenner to be closer to family. 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. Another Southern Californian who died was Kala Singh, a resident alien who lived in La Jolla. as "extremely brave, selfless and clever". There were huge streaks of light breaking the darkness. How much is naturally a matter of debate. January 2008 - Pakistan reportedly released from jail the remaining four hijackers who had been convicted in 1988. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. December 3, 2009 - The FBI announced that it has added the four fugitive hijackers to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. 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. Nobody knew what to do. 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. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America. They were at every exit trying to push us out of the aircraft. Nearly 361 passengers, ground crew and 13 flight attendants spent 16 . When the day ended, almost everyone survived the hijack, thanks to Neerja's quick-thinking . Share it now! Va., flight attendant, THOMAS, Carol, New York, flight attendant, TORRECH, Miguel, New York, flight attendant. 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. Then, when all the passengers were off the wing, the crew did something remarkable. 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.. I was told to go alone and on my way back, I came across a water dispenser. Mike was made to sit on the floor, and like the other passengers, keep his hands above his head. As the result of a 2008 pact between the Bush administration and the Libyan government of Moammar Gadhafi, Dav has received a payment of $3 million. The Pan Am Flight 73 on its way from Mumbai to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt was . The $5 million reward is offered through the State Departments Rewards for Justice Program. 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 Bhanot. There was a buzz that they had a time bomb on them, which could explode. I had a bullet injury on the right leg and the whole of the left leg up to my thigh was burnt with the grenade. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. At the end of the proceeding, Judge Sullivan took the matter under advisement and will issue a written decision at a later date. "It was chaotic, like a war zone, in there. (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. 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. They turned and ran back through the plane--and some gunfire--to the other wing, where they were able to slide to safety. He said of a family of four sitting across the aisle from him: Two of them were killed and the others were wounded.. In the chaos and darkness, at least three doors had been opened, though it is not clear by whom. Meherjee, the mechanic, told Safarini that the emergency power would last 15 minutes or so before the aircraft would be plunged into darkness. Had they not, the terrorists would have taken the flight somewhere and blown up the aircraft. Scott Herhold is a former San Jose metro columnist. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Contact Scott Herhold at sherhold@mercurynews.com or 408-275-0917. 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. "The hijack is far from over for me and my colleagues. The Sentencing Response Form should be submitted by February 12, 2004. 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. I wanted to save my family.. But I opted to carry a young lady, who was severely injured and sadly died in my arms. '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. 2023 BBC. They threw the hand grenades too, one of which fell on my friend Rupal, sitting next to me. We had to wait on the tarmac for 45 minutes for a transport vehicle to carry my mothers coffin. 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. Around four hours into the siege, the hijackers began trying to identify the Americans on board. Khanjan Dalal, who survived the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986, has lauded Sonam Kapoor starrer "Neerja". We were helpless, said Mary George, 37, of Norwalk. 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. Those hours were torturous. Thats when the aggressive terrorist came up to us with his gun, warning us not to talk. The great eye opener though was the compassion shown by Pakistanis. DE BEAULIEU, Francoise Colbert, New York ?? He said images of the suspects obtained by the FBI in the year 2000 were age-progressed by the FBI Laboratory. Some survivors of the ill-fated PanAm flight 73 recount the sordid memories of that September day in 1986 when . 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. 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 . 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). . Gargi Dav (pronounced Dah-VAY) is now a 34-year-old attorney who lives in Sunnyvale. If you have any questions regarding the legal proceedings in this case, please contact us at USADC.PanAm73@usdoj.gov. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Unable to fly the plane, the terrorists started by executing an American and dumping his body out the door of the plane. When the airhostess were asked to collect our passports, she was smart enough to not collect the US passports. "This changed everything. The letters provided information about defendant Safarini's guilty plea and encouraged victims to attend the scheduled sentencing proceeding. Over the next few hours on the upper deck, Safarini let his guard down several times, Sunshine says. More information will be provided on submitting a victim impact statement at a later date. I ran bare feet for almost two kilometres on the tarmac. At the end of the proceeding, Judge Sullivan took the matter under advisement and will issue a written decision at a later date. The next status hearing in the case is now scheduled for Monday May 19, 2003, at 2:00 p.m. One of the hijackers removed a blanket and covered her with it because she was wearing a short skirt. A survivor of 1986 Pan Am hijack, Murthy shuddered as the dreadful moment flashed before his eyes. Get FBI email alerts He also recommended that the Bureau of Prisons assign the defendant to the Administrative Maximum facility in Florence, Colorado, also referred to as "SuperMax. These were the 2 cockpit observers who may as well be considered passengers, 2 flight attendants, and 12 passengers. From there, she went to work as a volunteer lawyer for the Northern California ACLU. Maul, Hawaii. 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 . No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. My mother was trying to save me while Neerja saved other children.I wanted to use the loo. Jenny White's parents Bryan and Margaret were touring the United States, stopping off in New Orleans and preparing to fly to Las Vegas on July 9, 1982. New Images Released in 1986 Hijacking Case. Somehow I managed to escape from the aircraft. (Neerja Bhanot's pictures courtesy: Aneesh Bhanot). The law firms own 25 percent fees also figure in the debate. BY xms3200 - Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:04 am. Onboard: 73 passengers and eight crew members. 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. New Delhi, UPDATED: Sep 5, 2017 17:13 IST. He stopped me from writing. BKELUND, Christine, New York, flight attendant, HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant, LUKER, Marilyn. I t was September 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. Doctors did not think shed recover. There was complete chaos at the Sahar airport when we returned. Now, a tangle of lawsuits over $150 million in compensation from Libya is pitting them against one another. Our responsibility is to assist U.S. citizens.. 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. Her older sister is a physician with a practice in Southern California. We were put up in a hotel. A family from Karachi later got me clothes and shoes. Gargi woke up three days later. I realised I had survived. And Davs attorney, Lee Boyd, says the law firm erred by not expressly including the possibility of a treaty in its Joint Prosecuting Agreement. We were told to raise our hands and sit.
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