September 12, 2002 - Defendant Safarini is arraigned on the superseding indictment and pleads not guilty to each of the counts. Read about our approach to external linking. These charges will serve as the basis for the upcoming criminal trial of defendant Safarini. Those who knew and loved these people will never forget the moment they discovered the nearly unbearable truth. In panic mode, they opened gunfire. Philadelphia, flight attendant, SARP, Aytel, Arlington. The Pan Am captain's name was Victor Grubbs. 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. One of the hijackers removed a blanket and covered her with it because she was wearing a short skirt. The Sentencing Response Form should be submitted by February 12, 2004. 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. She informed the pilots about the hijack and thats how the pilots could escape. KAREN ANDERSON (Pan Am Flight 1736 Passenger/Survivor): It was a survival mode that kicked in, and it was just, "get out of that airplane." KLAAS MEURS (KLM Flight 4805 Co-Pilot/From Flight Voice . 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. Sixteen-month-old Melissa Trahan, on stretcher, is rushed from the scene of the crash of Pan Am Flight 759 in Kenner, La. After being rushed to the hospital by two Pakistani men at the airport, Gargi Dav slipped into a coma. Gargi Dave was among the survivors of a shootout aboard a jetliners hijacked by Pakistani terrorists. 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. We went back inside trying to exit from another door during which we lost each other. Neerja Bhanot was working as a senior flight attendant for Pan American World Airways when tragedy struck on the morning of Sept. 5, 1986. 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. I was wondering if the Pan Am pilots are still living, or even the cabin crew. See a copy of the superseding indictment. I noticed that the evacuation hatch on the ceiling of the cockpit was open, but I pretended not to. Other terrified passengers had jumped down on top of her at Karachi, she explained. As the shooting began to die down, said George, a flight attendant called out that an emergency exit was open. It showed they were ruthless killers," says Sunshine. Those hours were torturous. The men entered the Boeing 747, firing shots into the air. The United States Attorney's Office In Your Neighborhood. 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. FBI Releases Age-Progressed Photos of Four Most Wanted Terrorists from Pan Am Flight 73 Hijacking, MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH KHALIL HUSSAIN AR-RAHAYYAL, FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. Musician Nayan Pancholi recounts how he lost his eye but survived the Pan Am flight hijack in 1986. The passenger plane crashed in a residential area of Kenner soon after . New Images Released in 1986 Hijacking Case. Khanjan Dalal, who survived the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986, has lauded Sonam Kapoor starrer "Neerja". How I connect my mother to Neerja is that they both died saving children and at the same time. A passenger informed that his mother had probably had died inside. 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. The letters provided information about defendant Safarini's guilty plea and encouraged victims to attend the scheduled sentencing proceeding. 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. 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. Sherene, and another colleague Ranee Vaswani, were the last two hostages to leave the plane. The main leader, who was directing the other three men, was in charge of our compartment. I could have run to the terminus. And then another militant, his AK-47 and grenades in clear view, instructed Sunshine to take him to the captain. KENNER, La. Students who switched tickets escaped the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. Subscribe 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. We were helpless, said Mary George, 37, of Norwalk. 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. As evening set in, the on-board power supply started to dwindle, the lights got dimmer and the cool air stopped circulating. She went to save the kids who were stuck inside and got shot from behind. They threw the hand grenades too, one of which fell on my friend Rupal, sitting next to me. Under the plea agreement announced in court, the government has agreed not to litigate further the Courts prior ruling that the death penalty was not available in this case in exchange for Safarini agreeing to the following terms, among other things: (1) a guilty plea to all 95 counts of the indictment; (2) an agreement that Safarini will be sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment on each count, with some counts to run consecutively and some to run concurrently, for a total sentence of three consecutive life sentences plus 25 years, which is equivalent to 160 years in prison; (3) an agreement that, as the result of the consecutive sentencing, there will be no mandatory parole release date for Safarini during his lifetime; (4) an acknowledgment that, despite the fact that Safarini will have a right to parole proceedings under governing law at the time the hijacking took place, the government intends to oppose his release on parole at any time during his lifetime; (5) an agreement by Safarini to waive any appeal of the sentence, to waive any collateral attack on the plea or the sentence and to forego any motion for reduction of sentence; and (6) an agreement that Safarini will cooperate whenever, and in whatever form, the United States shall reasonably request, including by testifying against his co-defendants, if and when any of them comes into United States custody. And their battle offers a fascinating glimpse at the conflicts that erupt between victims and their lawyers. We were aware they took hold of Rajesh, a US national. Thirty-two years later, Trahan, now 33, is a wife and mother who has learned to cope with unbelievable loss. December 3, 2009 - The FBI announced that it has added the four fugitive hijackers to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. 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. The Joint Prosecuting Agreement has language that may protect the law firm and cut against the Dav sisters. 583 lives were lost when a KLM 747 collided with a Pan Am 747 at Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport (TFN). The flight attendants were supportive, smart and composed throughout. We sat in that position for almost three hours.After a point we couldnt help but plead them to let us use the washrooms. I thought we were going to die, George said. On September 5, 1986, Pan Am flight 73, a Boeing 747, departed Mumbai for New York with scheduled stops in Karchi and Frankfurt. She hopes that, in speaking out, "we can all connect through our survival stories and form a fabric of power and strength going forward". On Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, India sees 'Neerja' again. The stench of her blood haunts me even today. 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. One lady amongst us, Trupti, complained of a headache. I knew if I didnt speak up for myself, this would haunt me for the rest of my life.. No Thanks 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. The other four defendants convicted in connection with the hijacking remain in jail in Pakistan. 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. Nobody knew what to do. Bloodstain is seen on one of the wings of the Pan Am jetliner on the Karachi Airport, Pakistan on 6 September 1986. On March 27, 1977, the most shocking and deadliest air disaster happened, changing the aviation world forever. The $5 million reward is offered through the State Departments Rewards for Justice Program. Later, as Pakistani commandos prepared to raid, the gunmen opened fire inside the cabin. We were asked to hold our hands behind and bow down. Some Southlanders will not be coming home. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Sunshine called Dilip over to help, and the two carried Neerja to the emergency slide. Four terrorists took position in four corners of the cabin and started shooting and throwing grenades. Documents on this page are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF) and a PDF reader is required for viewing. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. 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. After the terrorists opened fire, I lay down flat fearing I could get killed any moment. 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. 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. 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.. The motions hearing will go forward on May 5, 2003. Va., flight attendant. We had a screening of Neerja for the survivors. Age: 40Profession: ArtistI was 12 then and travelling with my mother Trupti Dalal. Some survivors of the ill-fated PanAm flight 73 recount the sordid memories of that September day in 1986 when . A 16-hour standoff at Jinnah International Airport in Karchi ended with 22 hostages dead and some 150 injured. (Karen T. Borchers/Mercury News). 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 . He made me wear a burkha and we stepped out as the security wasnt allowing me to step out. On December 21, Pan Am 103 was beginning the second leg of its Frankfurt-London-New York-Detroit route. 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? 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. PARKER, Isabella, Capistrano Bench, Calif. PENKSTAFF, Mrs. Charles San Diego, Calif. SEACRIST, Katherine, Lthaina. If you have any questions regarding the legal proceedings in this case, please contact us at USADC.PanAm73@usdoj.gov. That incident changed my outlook towards life. He was shot by the hijackers when, according to some other passengers, he objected to their rough treatment of a flight attendant. 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. All have coped in different ways. Passengerlist of the PamAm.