emailStay Connected October 17, 1990. Shahs family members, whom he had sent to Bombay to visit friends and relatives, were apparently uninjured. The US was paid 1.5 billion dollars in compensation by Libya. The door nearest the wing had been opened in manual, which meant that the emergency slide did not deploy. About 7:00 pm on December 21, Pan Am flight 103, a Boeing 747 en route to New York City from . 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. In 2010, the couple welcomed a daughter, Melanie naming their baby girl after Trahans late mother. Remembering Neerja Bhanot on hijacked Pan Am Flight 73. I was from a business family, married into another business family but I chose to start an NGO, providing education for the underprivileged after going through this tragedy. Age: 40Profession: ArtistI was 12 then and travelling with my mother Trupti Dalal. I ran bare feet for almost two kilometres on the tarmac. T. M. George, 45, an auto parts store manager, was wounded in the back when he tried to shield his family from gunfire. They didn't discuss the hijack. When the doors were thrown open, I realised I had jumped onto the wing. Like I say, there are many shades of gray here. December 3, 2009 - The FBI announced that it has added the four fugitive hijackers to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. It was a strange feeling. 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 . When the day ended, almost everyone survived the hijack, thanks to Neerja's quick-thinking . 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. Two of the six remain in the industry. At the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York, FBI Director Christopher Wray discussed how the FBI is evolving to stay ahead of threats in the digital age. Their guns were on silent, so we didnt realise he was killed and thrown out. At the center of that showdown is their 16-hour ordeal, during which the gunmen killed 20 passengers and wounded more than 100. There was gunfire. A sentencing date is now set for May 12, 2004. The PanAm had also survivors, before the names of the survivors appears a * Content of the page: Crewlist of the PanAm. 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. He said images of the suspects obtained by the FBI in the year 2000 were age-progressed by the FBI Laboratory. Among them was Kankuben Gala, 67, of Tustin, who also was in a wheelchair. And their battle offers a fascinating glimpse at the conflicts that erupt between victims and their lawyers. 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. We just kept praying.. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Unable to fly the plane, the terrorists started by executing an American and dumping his body out the door of the plane. . 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. Courtesy Gargi Dave -- A ten-year-old Gargi Dave, left, is kissed and comforted by her mother, Niru in the Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. I t was September 5, 1986. On Mar. 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. 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 terrorists, members of the Abu Nidal organization, had planned to crash the plane into a sensitive Israeli target in Tel Aviv. The Pan Am 73 terrorist attack killed 20 passengers and crew and severely injured more than 100 of the 380 persons on board. Later, my friend and I had held another injured friend between our shoulders and escaped. 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 Boeing 747, known as the Clipper Maid of the Seas, left London Heathrow with 243 passengers and 16 crew members, including 189 Americans. All have coped in different ways. The pilot picked up on her second attempt and she relayed the hijack code. Age: 50Profession: BusinessmanI was 21 then. When Gala was wheeled off the plane in Los Angeles, clutching her X-rays, her blue polyester slacks and a purple sweater showed the dirt and oil marks of her leap. 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. Neerja seemed like just any other airhostess until we reached Karachi and the terrorists took over. The survivors of the Pan Am 73 hijacked flight say that 'Neerja' unfairly depicts only one side of the story. TORRECH . We were aware they took hold of Rajesh, a US national. Trahan graduated from Louisiana State University with a major in theater production and moved to Orlando, Florida, where she worked at Disney Studios. "The hijack is far from over for me and my colleagues. I hid below the seats so I was saved. It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. Some Southlanders will not be coming home. "On occasion he would hold my hair, force my face to the window and ask what I could see on the tarmac. 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. This was given to the 40-odd American passengers of the ill-fated Pan Am Flight 73, but not shared with the Indians, including the kin . 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. 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. 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 . Sunshine and Dilip were also on the wing, but in the darkness couldn't gauge the distance of the drop. We went to all the hospitals looking for our people. Neerja Bhanot was working as a senior flight attendant for Pan American World Airways when tragedy struck on the morning of Sept. 5, 1986. She had been shot in the lower left leg as she rushed to an emergency exit and her back and neck were injured when she jumped down to the tarmac. September 9 - 10, 2003 - The Court postponed the hearing on legal motions that are not related to the death penalty until November 17, 2003, at 10:00 a.m., and scheduled a status conference for October 2, 2003, at 9:30 a.m. October 2, 2003 - A status conference was held before Judge Sullivan and another status conference was scheduled for October 21, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. October 21, 2003 - A status conference was held before Judge Sullivan and another status conference was scheduled for November 12, 2003, at 9:30 a.m. On the hand he was he giving me water and on the other he was still a threat to my life. "They had lost patience. 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. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. New Delhi, UPDATED: Sep 5, 2017 17:13 IST. We were helpless, said Mary George, 37, of Norwalk. More information will be provided to victims concerning submitting a victim impact. An official website of the United States government. 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. They were on Pan Am Flight 1736. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Gargi Dave, at home in Sunnyvale, talks about her case on Tuesday, June 15, 2010. 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. She persuaded them to let the children drink water too. Tenerife killing approx. Neerja Bhanot. Her older sister is a physician with a practice in Southern California. Had the terrorists got all the US passports initially, the picture could have been different and even more drastic.One baby was crying continuously. I wanted to save my family.. Sign up for our newsletter and other special offers: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Turns 75! There were 14 flight attendants on board, 12 . That plot was averted when the pilots climbed out of an emergency cockpit of the Boeing 747. THOMAS, Carol, New York, flight attendant. The FAI report concluded that Pan Am 103's 16 crew and 243 named passengers, including Bernt Wilmar Carlsson (born on 21 November 1938 and residing at Apartment 30, 207 West 106th Street, New York, New York 10025 . 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. September 12, 2002 - Defendant Safarini is arraigned on the superseding indictment and pleads not guilty to each of the counts. I could see the terrorists walking up and down the aisle, trying to negotiate. At Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport, a KLM 747 initiated takeoff without air traffic control clearance and smashed into a Pan Am 747 waiting on the runway, resulting in 583 fatalities. Victim impact statements should be submitted to the prosecution team by March 1, 2004. Philadelphia, flight attendant. 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 battle between the Dav group and the law firm is now in arbitration in D.C. At the conclusion of the proceeding, Judge Sullivan sentenced the defendant to three consecutive life terms plus 25 years, for a total of 160 years. I knew if I didnt speak up for myself, this would haunt me for the rest of my life.. 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. 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. 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 . 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. 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. I was part of the Avishakar Academy Of Performing Arts. We stood still and numb, long after the end credits rolled. Safarini, mid-joke, caught her and immediately pointed the gun at her head. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has learned to cope with unbelievable loss. 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. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up, The problem with Pablo Escobars hippos. 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. Making sure that victims of crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. My father, Kalpesh Dalal, was extremely disturbed. 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. Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the FBI or submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov. Neerja Bhanot. The motions hearing will go forward on May 5, 2003. Va., flight attendant. WILLIAMS, Norman; RO Palos Verdes, Calif. BRAGG, Robert, Howard Beach, N. Y., first officer, DONOVAN, Susanne, Harrisburg, Pa., flight attendant, GRUBBS, Victor, Centerport, L.I., captain, JACKSON, Joan, Nashville. Witness is a programme of the . 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. Also known as Fatah-The Revolutionary Council, it is listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Israel and the European Union. 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. In 1986, Pakistani terrorists hijacked a US-bound plane in a drama that left 22 passengers dead. 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No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. The other hijackers were released from their Pakistani jail in 2008, against the wishes of India and the US. 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. The law firms own 25 percent fees also figure in the debate. 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. They let out a war cry," says Sunshine, "and began firing into the crowd. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. Bloodstain is seen on one of the wings of the Pan Am jetliner on the Karachi Airport, Pakistan on 6 September 1986. The United States Attorney's Office In Your Neighborhood. Gargi Dav argues that they could file in foreign courts. Once they finally got to the hospital, the chaos continued, Sherene says. She slid out upside down.". Aside from one sharp kick, he says, he was not physically mistreated and eventually escaped with others in the later chaos. They turned and ran back through the plane--and some gunfire--to the other wing, where they were able to slide to safety. The way I looked at life changed.I remember the terrorists dashing in from the front door near the pantry, holding Neerja at gun point. She was allowed to lie down. At one point she looked longingly at the emergency axe in a glass box in the cockpit. The terrorists began screaming in Arabic. "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.". Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Column: Did the DOJ just say Donald Trump can be held accountable for Jan. 6? 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. Gari Dave is now a Sunnyvale attorney and she is representing a group of other survivors who are fighting to keep millions in restitution paid to the survivors by the Libyan government, who admitted involvement in the hijacking. Massey had already exited down the slide just moments earlier, taking three unaccompanied children with him. On December 21 Pan Am Flight 103 crashed on Lockerbie after the bombing of a Boeing 747-121. 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 . Pity that she was shot at.". DUMFRIES, Scotland (AP) _ Two passengers might have survived the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 had they received the best medical care immediately, a Scottish pathologist testified Wednesday. The hearing on motions not related to the death penalty will continue on September 10, 2003, not on June 16, 2003, as previously scheduled. She slid out the exit upside down. 1988 - Five men are convicted in Pakistan for their roles in the hijacking. 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. It was dark and I was very scared.. He joked and flirted, invited her to go with him to Cyprus, and promised to teach her to swim. The Court finds that the ends of justice will be served by allowing the parties additional time to prepare for trial. Her husband, Sadanand Singh, said she was killed when she threw herself in front of her son and daughter. Tenn., flight attendant, JOHNSON, Caria, New York City, flight attendant, WARNS, Grores, Blairstown, N.J., flight engineer, See the article in its original context from. 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. We were ready to take what was coming, because there was nothing else we could do. I realised I had survived. We were asked to hold our hands behind and bow down. She was calm and responsible right up to the end. 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. Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Initiative, View a copy of the Court's legal opinion on the availability of the death penalty in this case, See a copy of the Government's Sentencing Memorandum, Transcript of Sentencing Proceeding - May 13, 2004, See a Message on the 25th Anniversary of the Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. Its always been an active case of ours, saidthe leadFBI agenton the case. 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. The Sentencing Response Form should be submitted by February 12, 2004. Today, shes taken a leave from her San Diego-based firm to help with the Flight 73 litigation. No Thanks Maul, Hawaii. 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. October 2, 2001 - Defendant Safarini is arraigned before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in the District of Columbia and pleads not guilty to each of the counts in the indictment. Her sister could get as much. 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. Meherjee, the mechanic, told Safarini that the emergency power would last 15 minutes or so before the aircraft would be plunged into darkness. 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 occasionally worked the same flight and ran into each other at layovers. And in any case, at least the three pilots were safe. 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. When the firing stopped, I ran to the front and someone pushed me out from the exit. Many went for it. Survivors that later died. We were even scared to look at him.. They then went through the bags of passports they had collected, secretly sifting out any remaining American ones and tucking them under their seats or concealing them in their clothing. The two girls narrowly escaped a deadly fusillade. 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. 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 government argues that the death penalty is available for defendant Safarini's violation of the air piracy statute. 583 people. Nupoor tried to comfort the passengers around her while her colleague Dilip Bidichandani took round sandwiches and Neerja distributed water. "Survivors [of such atrocities] are living each day with the memories," says Madhvi. Another Southern Californian who died was Kala Singh, a resident alien who lived in La Jolla. Share it now! Chandigarh-born Bhanot was the senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73 hijacked in Karachi in 1986. The Pan Am Flight 73 on its way from Mumbai to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt was . Outside on the tarmac, Pan Am's Karachi director Viraf Doroga used a megaphone to begin negotiations with the hijackers. (From top left): Nupoor, Sunshine, Sherene, Dilip. Become a Member. 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. Subscribe Philadelphia, flight attendant, SARP, Aytel, Arlington. as "extremely brave, selfless and clever". (Photo: AP) In 2003, Zayd Safrini pleaded guilty to 95 charges which included . She fell on my shoulder, while I felt a hot ball of fire going up my feet. That incident changed my outlook towards life. Sherene, and another colleague Ranee Vaswani, were the last two hostages to leave the plane. "I may be biased but I feel that day proved that the flight attendants on board were some of the best in the industry.". At the plea proceeding on December 16th, the terms of the plea agreement will be made public and the defendant is expected to admit his guilt. The plane, a Boeing 707, returning from San Juan, Puerto Rico, made a stop in Baltimore to refuel before continuing to Philadelphia to drop off the last of its passengers. We were travelling to the USA for a series of performances. See a Message on the 25th Anniversary of the Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. Fellow attendant Sunshine Vesuwala saw one of the hijackers grab a colleague, Neerja Bhanot, and put a gun to her head. Defendant Safarini will be held in prison pending trial. How much is naturally a matter of debate. Otherwise wed have panicked. Being fond of writing, I was jotting down my feelings on a piece of paper. Crowell & Moring LLP would like to recognize 13 of the firm's Pan Am Flight 73 victims of terrorism clients who were presented the Special Courage Award by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales during the National Crime Victims' Rights Week Awards Ceremony on April 21, 2006. She died heroically, saving Pan Am passengers from terrorists on Sept. 5, 1986. The court set a briefing schedule regarding the government's motion to reconsider the death penalty ruling.