We were even scared to look at him.. Just 61 people survived, all from the Pan Am jumbo jet. (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. Being fond of writing, I was jotting down my feelings on a piece of paper. He repeatedly led either Sunshine or Sherene at gunpoint up to the upper deck cockpit, using them as human shields while he peeked round them to have a look outside. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Column: Did the DOJ just say Donald Trump can be held accountable for Jan. 6? And Davs attorney, Lee Boyd, says the law firm erred by not expressly including the possibility of a treaty in its Joint Prosecuting Agreement. There was one airhostess there helping people jump. They were not aggressive as such but panic started after the power supply went off. Dark Mode. I wanted to save my family.. She went to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. Making sure that victims of crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. Trahan, dubbed the Miracle Baby of Pan Am Flight 759, was the sole survivor of the crash, sustaining no serious injuries. Her actions led to 359 of the 380 people on-board the plane managing to live through the ordeal. Her sister suffered severe damage to her feet when she leapt from the plane. They gave us strength. No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. At the end of the proceeding, Judge Sullivan took the matter under advisement and will issue a written decision at a later date. Neerja seemed like just any other airhostess until we reached Karachi and the terrorists took over. They made 300 passengers move to the front of the economy cabin. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. One of the hijackers removed a blanket and covered her with it because she was wearing a short skirt. Maul, Hawaii. See a copy of the superseding indictment. Hassan Abd Latif Safarini appeared in court Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase for his role as lead hijacker of Pan Am Flight 73. April 11, 2003 - A status hearing was held before Judge Sullivan. How I connect my mother to Neerja is that they both died saving children and at the same time. He said he was looking for American fighter planes," says Sherene. The Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO) is a Palestinian militant group, now considered largely inactive. The initial agreement between the passengers was "designed to avoid infighting," Newberger wrote. 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. KENNER, La. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has learned to cope with unbelievable loss. That didnt make sense to Gargi Dav, who read the law firms demands with a trained lawyers eye. 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. I wanted to give the pilots time to escape in case they were still in the process of climbing down the ropes outside the plane. 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. There were 14 flight attendants on board, 12 of whom were preparing for take-off. A sentencing date is now set for May 12, 2004. She was allowed to lie down. Sherene saw that mechanic Meherjee had been killed. Doctors did not think shed recover. Outside, four gunmen had sped on to the tarmac in a van disguised as airport security. 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. Another person who was on the wings jumped down and broke his legs. Her husband, Sadanand Singh, said she was killed when she threw herself in front of her son and daughter. 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. Anyone can read what you share. We landed on the wing. 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? 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. Nobody knew what to do. They turned and ran back through the plane--and some gunfire--to the other wing, where they were able to slide to safety. It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . She was hit with a bullet in her skull and had injuries on her chest and hands. I realised I was completely drenched in my mothers blood. How much is naturally a matter of debate. At the center of that showdown is their 16-hour ordeal, during which the gunmen killed 20 passengers and wounded more than 100. Once the death penalty issue is resolved, including any appeal, if one is filed, a new trial date will be set. Sherene and Sunshine were the cabin crew who spent the most time with lead hijacker Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini. Pity that she was shot at.". Scott Herhold is a former San Jose metro columnist. It departed from Los Angeles bound for the . But Pan-American Flight 759 crashed . On September 5, 1986, Pan Am flight 73, a Boeing 747, departed Mumbai for New York with scheduled stops in Karchi and Frankfurt. We were aware they took hold of Rajesh, a US national. 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. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up, The problem with Pablo Escobars hippos. I noticed that the evacuation hatch on the ceiling of the cockpit was open, but I pretended not to. . The Pakistani military boarded the plane and the ensuing shootout killed 22 people. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. 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 . There was a buzz that they had a time bomb on them, which could explode. PUBLISHED 12:35 PM ET Oct. 18, 2019. There was complete chaos at the Sahar airport when we returned. We used to give up that position for a bit, or talk and whisper to each other. Neerja's colleagues say she was still alive when she arrived at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital. We were told to raise our hands and sit. We don't support landscape mode. She slid out upside down.". 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 . 'Grey's Anatomy' Cast: Where Are They Now? HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant. Many went for it. I will start with the flight a. Gargi Dav (pronounced Dah-VAY) is now a 34-year-old attorney who lives in Sunnyvale. The stench of her blood haunts me even today. He showed so much grace in trouble, barring borders and perceptions. "This changed everything. We had to wait on the tarmac for 45 minutes for a transport vehicle to carry my mothers coffin. Three of the hijackers were fleeing the airport when they were caught by airport security. Members Only. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Gargi Dave, at home in Sunnyvale, talks about her case on Tuesday, June 15, 2010. One person opened the door that led to the wing of the plane. 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. She was calm and responsible right up to the end. In 2005, at the urging of other Flight 73 survivors, she and her sister joined a group that hired the Washington, D.C. law firm of Crowell & Moring to pursue claims against the Libyan government, which had backed several international terrorist exploits, including the 1988 Pan Am explosion over Lockerbie, Scotland. Shama, another friend, had two bullet injuries in her head. January 2008 - Pakistan reportedly released from jail the remaining four hijackers who had been convicted in 1988. Also, a sentencing date will be scheduled (probably for some time in the spring of 2004). We were helpless, said Mary George, 37, of Norwalk. Sign up for our newsletter and other special offers: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Turns 75! Amid sobs and applause from victims and relatives of those killed in the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan, Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini -- leader of an Abu Nidal terrorist . Their guns were on silent, so we didnt realise he was killed and thrown out. Following is a list of passengers on the Pan American Boeing 747 airliner who were killed in the Canary Islands crash, as provided Monday to The Associated Press by Pan American officials: BRADLEY, Col. Clittro, San Juan Capisl, Calif. BRADLEY, Marlorie, San Juan Capist, Calif. BRANDCNBERG, Brita, Corona del Mar, Calif. CAZA, Elizabeth, Winosor, Oatario, Canada. They were on Pan Am Flight 1736. A 16-hour standoff at Jinnah International Airport in Karchi ended with 22 hostages dead and some 150 injured. She was calm and responsible right up to the end. Chandigarh-born Bhanot was the senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73 hijacked in Karachi in 1986. 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. Philadelphia, flight attendant, SARP, Aytel, Arlington. He also recommended that the Bureau of Prisons assign the defendant to the Administrative Maximum facility in Florence, Colorado, also referred to as "SuperMax. I became more courageous and confidant to face any situation in life later.Neerja was an excellent airhostess. "The hijack is far from over for me and my colleagues. One lady amongst us, Trupti, complained of a headache. 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. Onboard: 73 passengers and eight crew members. I was wondering if the Pan Am pilots are still living, or even the cabin crew. "The stories may differ but the spirit remains the same.". We were asked to hold our hands behind and bow down. 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 . When the doors were thrown open, I realised I had jumped onto the wing. 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. I knew we couldnt jump down from the high wing. The stench of her blood haunts me even today.". Neerja was standing right next to the exit. March 27, 1977 is a date permanently etched in aviation history. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In the chaos and darkness, at least three doors had been opened, though it is not clear by whom. The motions hearing will continue on Monday, June 16, 2003. Ill get to the details in a second. One was naturalized citizen Rajesh Kumar, 29, of Huntington Beach. Some Southlanders will not be coming home. 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 . Lynn Hartunian, 21, who was a student at SUNY Oswego, was one of the passengers killed on Pan Am Flight 103. We take you down the emotional journey "Neerja was standing right next to the exit. He was not related to Kuverben Patel, 80, Kumars grandmother, who was also among the passengers killed. 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 . 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.