In 2010, the couple welcomed a daughter, Melanie naming their baby girl after Trahans late mother. Nobody knew what to do. Sunshine and Dilip were also on the wing, but in the darkness couldn't gauge the distance of the drop. As the shooting began to die down, said George, a flight attendant called out that an emergency exit was open. I experienced compassion from a stranger, that too a Pakistani. "Neerja's life may have been saved were conditions in the hospital better.". There were 14 flight attendants on board, 12 of whom were preparing for take-off. They made 300 passengers move to the front of the economy cabin. The main leader, who was directing the other three men, was in charge of our compartment. 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. October 1, 2001 - Defendant Safarini is brought before a federal judge in Anchorage, Alaska, where he is ordered to be held and transported to the District of Columbia to face the charges pending against him. 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. I was told to go alone and on my way back, I came across a water dispenser. On Mar. She could have easily escaped first but she chose to push everyone else out. 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. Nupoor and Madhvi slipped off the edge of the wing, fracturing bones as they hit the tarmac around 20 feet (6 metres) below. SARP, Aytel, Arlington. "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.". The United States Attorney's Office In Your Neighborhood. From there, she went to work as a volunteer lawyer for the Northern California ACLU. Being fond of writing, I was jotting down my feelings on a piece of paper. 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. No one aboard the KLM aircraft survived, and only 71 people escaped from the Pan Am wreckage. 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. We landed on the wing. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Va., flight attendant, THOMAS, Carol, New York, flight attendant, TORRECH, Miguel, New York, flight attendant. At the airport we identified them and they were captured by the security officials. Bloodstain is seen on one of the wings of the Pan Am jetliner on the Karachi Airport, Pakistan on 6 September 1986. Trahan, dubbed the Miracle Baby of Pan Am Flight 759, was the sole survivor of the crash, sustaining no serious injuries. Other terrified passengers had jumped down on top of her at Karachi, she explained. Her older sister is a physician with a practice in Southern California. 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. Shama, another friend, had two bullet injuries in her head.. The Joint Prosecuting Agreement has language that may protect the law firm and cut against the Dav sisters. She went to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. It departed from Los Angeles bound for the . Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the FBI or submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov. 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. We just kept praying.. 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 . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. We don't support landscape mode. Judge Sullivan also recommended that the defendant never receive parole. 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. April 10, 2003 - The Court issued a legal opinion, ruling that the death penalty is not available in this case. 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. Its harder to argue that the international clients the bulk of the Crowell & Moring clients should benefit from a treaty designed to benefit only American victims. He was shot by the hijackers when, according to some other passengers, he objected to their rough treatment of a flight attendant. 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. . But U.S. consulate officers go out to hospitals and airports to help U.S. citizens in distress. We had no choice but to follow the terrorists instructions. The stench of her blood haunts me even today. Hassan Abd Latif Safarini appeared in court Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase for his role as lead hijacker of Pan Am Flight 73. I told the terrorist I wanted some water. August 29, 1991 - A 126-count indictment is returned under seal (i.e., in secret) by a grand jury in the District of Columbia. And in any case, at least the three pilots were safe. We were even scared to look at him.. Philadelphia, flight attendant, SARP, Aytel, Arlington. 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. Her actions led to 359 of the 380 people on-board the plane managing to live through the ordeal. Age: 50Profession: BusinessmanI was 21 then. "The stories may differ but the spirit remains the same.". She fell on my shoulder, while I felt a hot ball of fire going up my feet. My co-passenger, a German national, woke me up informing that our plane was hijacked. On September 5, 1986, Thexton boarded Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi. The Indian-born couple had taken their children on a vacation to Bombay and were returning home when the aircraft was commandeered. Her sister suffered severe damage to her feet when she leapt from the plane. We sat in that position for almost three hours.After a point we couldnt help but plead them to let us use the washrooms. She informed the pilots about the hijack and thats how the pilots could escape. Sunshine, Madhvi Bahuguna and another flight attendant began collecting passports, quietly avoiding collecting any that were American. 583 lives were lost when a KLM 747 collided with a Pan Am 747 at Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport (TFN). 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. Witness is a programme of the . 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. Our tickets got confirmed at the last moment in Pan-Am Flight-73, which was headed to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt from . 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. "Neerja was put into the ambulance without a stretcher.". The elderly woman, a resident of a village outside Bombay, had been on her way to Southern California with Kumar and Kumars aunt, Gangaben Patel. The air conditioner stopped, the lights went off. [17], One of the four, Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, was allegedly killed in a dr Sixteen-month-old Melissa Trahan, on stretcher, is rushed from the scene of the crash of Pan Am Flight 759 in Kenner, La. The battle between the Dav group and the law firm is now in arbitration in D.C. 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. By India Today Web Desk: On this day, exactly 31 years ago, a young flight attendant named Neerja Bhanot boarded Pan Am Flight 73 that would be hijacked on its way to the United States of America. I was so fortunate to be surrounded by a loving family, including my grandparents from both sides, she told the New Orleans Times-Picayune in an interview highlighting the anniversary of the tragedy. 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. 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. That incident changed my outlook towards life. Va., flight attendant. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. But Pan-American Flight 759 crashed . Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. Pity that she was shot at.". We were travelling to the USA for a series of performances. I could see the terrorists walking up and down the aisle, trying to negotiate. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . LUKER, Marilyn. Sign up for our newsletter and other special offers: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Turns 75! Trahan, dubbed the "Miracle Baby of Pan Am Flight 759," was the sole survivor of the crash, sustaining no serious injuries. BKELUND, Christine, New York, flight attendant, HIRANO, Sachiko, New York, fight attendant, LUKER, Marilyn. They saw another door had been deployed in automatic, which meant that the emergency slide was inflated. 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. 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. At the . Basically, they would be taking away 90 percent of the money, she said. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. It was an American aircraft and Americans were their target. When our flight landed in Karachi, the hijackers entered the aircraft wearing security guard uniforms. Get FBI email alerts Gargi Dav argues that they could file in foreign courts. "See a copy of the Government's Sentencing Memorandum, See a copy of the text of the prosecutors' allocution narrative during the sentencing proceeding, View the PowerPoint presentation shown by the prosecutors during the sentencing proceeding, Read the Government's press release concerning the sentencing, See a copy of the Transcript of Sentencing Proceeding - May 12, 2004, See a copy of the Transcript of Sentencing Proceeding - May 13, 2004, Week of July 5, 2004 - Defendant Safarini was transferred by the Bureau of Prisons to the Administrative Maximum facility in Florence, Colorado, also referred to as "SuperMax.". 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. I wanted to save my family.. July 21, 2003 - The court began hearing arguments on the government's motion for the court to reconsider its ruling barring the death penalty in this case. He said images of the suspects obtained by the FBI in the year 2000 were age-progressed by the FBI Laboratory. We were put up in a hotel. 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. I will start with the flight a. Khanjan Dalal, who survived the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986, has lauded Sonam Kapoor starrer "Neerja". 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. He spoke to Witness about that terrible disaster. 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. "I didn't see medical facilities at the airport besides minor first aid The hospital was several kilometres away from the airport," says Dilip. (In group shot - far left): Massey. Students who switched tickets escaped the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. She was killed while helping passengers to escape through emergency exits when hijackers opened fire and set off explosives during the 16-hour ordeal. The crash killed all 146 other people aboard the plane, as well as eight Kenner residents, including Trahans mother and 4-year-old sister. As the movie Neerja is releasing today, I thought it would be great to bring this story to all of you. I t was September 5, 1986. Shama, another friend, had two bullet injuries in her head. The great eye opener though was the compassion shown by Pakistanis. It took a tremendous amount of courage, said her attorney, Boyd. As they left the plane, Pratik pointed at his father and cried, Daddy, Daddy!. Having failed to find an American, the militants settled for someone British. I hid below the seats so I was saved. After the crash, Trahan and her father, who was working when the plane hit, moved away from Kenner to be closer to family. When the survivors recall the deadly memory, their hearts start racing and their spines become chilled. Not hearing any more gunfire, but not knowing where the gunmen were, they went back into the dark plane to look for survivors. We went back inside trying to exit from another door during which we lost each other. February 12, 2003 - Legal arguments were held before Judge Sullivan, with the attorneys for the government and the defense arguing their positions on the defendant's motion seeking to bar the death penalty in this case. She persuaded them to let the children drink water too. I knew if I didnt speak up for myself, this would haunt me for the rest of my life.. The FBI is hoping to generate new leads with the release of new age-progressed images of four alleged hijackers involved in a 1986 attack in Pakistan that killed two Americans. Similar findings are made by the Court on May 3, 2002, and again on November 1, 2002. emailStay Connected The other hijackers were released from their Pakistani jail in 2008, against the wishes of India and the US. All have coped in different ways. The Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO), which they were members of, was opposed to US and Israeli policy in the Middle East. More information will be provided on submitting a victim impact statement at a later date. 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. Also known as Fatah-The Revolutionary Council, it is listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Israel and the European Union. "I noticed immediately that the escape devices in the cockpit had been deployed. Answer (1 of 6): Of all of the 61 survivors of Pan Am Flight 1736 (the flight that had survivors come out), only 16 people came out without injuries. '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. Dark Mode. 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 . Suffice it to say there are many shades of gray. It was a strange feeling. I turned more patriotic, pious and mind you not religious rather spiritual after this incident. The pilot picked up on her second attempt and she relayed the hijack code. 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. I was wondering if the Pan Am pilots are still living, or even the cabin crew. Onboard: 73 passengers and eight crew members. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. She was hit with a bullet in her skull and had injuries on her chest and hands. Then we were told to rest our heads on our hands and bend down. Survivors condemn hijacker in Pan Am massacre . Over the next few hours on the upper deck, Safarini let his guard down several times, Sunshine says. 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. Neerja had been shot in her hip and was bleeding heavily, but was conscious. Nearly 361 passengers, ground crew and 13 flight attendants spent 16 . Also meeting the plane was Harshad Shah, 40, a Los Angeles bank employee, who had waited through the days of fear and uncertainty to learn what had happened to his wife, Raksha; his 65-year-old mother, Jasumati; his son, Pratik, 3, and his daughter, Jignisha, 13. PAN AM Flight 73 - Another Perspectiveby: Purnima Subhash Hardikar (From top left): Nupoor, Sunshine, Sherene, Dilip. Victim impact statements should be submitted to the prosecution team by March 1, 2004. See a copy of the superseding indictment. Eventually the militants threatened that, as a pilot had not materialised, a passenger would be shot every 15 minutes. 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. We found a few people but not all. "I may be biased but I feel that day proved that the flight attendants on board were some of the best in the industry.". I lay down on my family, my small child and other baby . We were told to raise our hands and sit. MUMBAI-Neerja Bhanot died on the night of Sept. 5, 1986, after terrorists killed her for helping passengers escape Pan Am Flight 73 hijacked at Karachi airport, Pakistan. We were informed that all those who hadnt made it to the tarmac had died inside the aircraft. 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. They threw the hand grenades too, one of which fell on my friend Rupal, sitting next to me. The PanAm had also survivors, before the names of the survivors appears a * Content of the page: Crewlist of the PanAm. 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. Most . At this stage the hijackers still believed a pilot would be found to fly the plane for them. Among them was Kankuben Gala, 67, of Tustin, who also was in a wheelchair. After a short break all the Flight 73 crew returned to Pan Am for at least a few years. The Boeing 747, known as the Clipper Maid of the Seas, left London Heathrow with 243 passengers and 16 crew members, including 189 Americans. 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.. Tenerife killing approx. 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 . Courageous crew members like Sunshine went back into the plane to look for survivors when the gunfire ceased and found . My friend was drenched in blood. We were aware they took hold of Rajesh, a US national. The Court finds that the ends of justice will be served by allowing the parties additional time to prepare for trial. They were on Pan Am Flight 1736. Sunshine called Dilip over to help, and the two carried Neerja to the emergency slide. What Colombia plans for their descendants, Messy storms roll eastward after slamming Texas, Louisiana, Ukrainians dig up more bodies from makeshift graves in once-occupied towns, New crew from U.S, Russia and UAE arrives at space station, Two Americans arrested on charges of selling tech to Russia. 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. That plot was averted when the pilots climbed out of an emergency cockpit of the Boeing 747. Survivors of a 1986 terrorist attack on Pan Am 73 in Pakistan faced a nightmare together. At the end of the proceeding, Judge Sullivan took the matter under advisement and will issue a written decision at a later date. Shahs family members, whom he had sent to Bombay to visit friends and relatives, were apparently uninjured. When our flight landed in Karachi, the hijackers entered the aircraft wearing security guard uniforms. Twenty people killed, more than 100 injured. 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. Galas son, Bharat, 32, an Orange County motel owner, met her Monday and interpreted for her. Gargi woke up three days later. They let out a war cry," says Sunshine, "and began firing into the crowd. "This changed everything. We were helpless, said Mary George, 37, of Norwalk. Calling the fight sad and disheartening, Newberger said the sharing clause was originally put in the agreement to stop infighting among the 178 plaintiffs. We put her in the ambulance. There was complete chaos at the Sahar airport when we returned. '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. 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. 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. An airhostess, who felt unwell, too lay down next to Trupti. If we didnt speak up for ourselves, I cant tell you how victimized we would feel, she said. The firm's court filings estimate that $330 million is owed to Pan Am 73 survivors. 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.