What Happened On Pan Am 73 Flight

Thanks to the blockbuster hit movie Neerja, the story of braveheart Neerja Bhanot came to the limelight who sacrificed her life in trying to save the passengers of the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986.

Five members belonging to the Abu Nidal terrorist organisation dressed up as airport security guards seized control of the New York-bound flight before it could take off from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi for Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

AP

The flight was hijacked at the Karachi Airport leaving 360 passengers life at stake. 

We know how Bhanot put her life at stake to help the passengers but a lot more happened inside the flight that was not covered in the movie. Right after the movie was released, colleagues of Neerja and the surviving flight crew came forward and described what actually happened on the flight in 2016 to BBC. They wanted to honour and acknowledge the vital roles played by all on board, most of whom are not known to the public.

The front page #OTD in 1986. Pan Am Flight 73 from Mumbai is hijacked at Karachi International Airport. #nytimes pic.twitter.com/5pA3AiEYni

— New York Times OTD (@OnThisDayNYT) September 6, 2021

As soon as the gunmen started firing and were seen in view, one of the flight attendants informed the pilots and the pilots escaped the flight. Even though this was criticised by people, it was better for everyone as the flight was left on the ground. 

The flight attendants also mentioned how the hijackers kept looking for American citizens in the flight and passports were collected of each and every passenger. Even though that was the case, flight attendants made sure that they hide the passport of any American passenger for safety reasons. 

Two female flight attendants were constantly used as human shields by the main hijacker. “According to Sherene and Sunshine were the cabin crew who spent the most time with lead hijacker Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini. 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.”

Since the flight had not taken off, the hijackers had closed the doors and lowered the shutters earlier, the air conditioning and lights had been on. As evening set in, the onboard power supply started to dwindle, the lights got dimmer and the cool air stopped circulating.

Apparently, the darker it got, the more impatient the hijackers got. The hijackers killed the mechanic who was contacting the radio. In the chaos and darkness, at least three doors had been opened, though it is not clear by whom. The door nearest the wing had been opened manually, which meant that the emergency slide did not deploy. It was a short jump to reach the wing of the plane. Many went for it. 

Even though most of them were safe, 22 people were killed and 150 passengers were injured. 

AP

The five terrorists of Palestinian origin-Zayd Hassan Abd Al-Latif Masud Al Safarini, Mohammed Abdul Khalil Hussain, Daud Mohammed Hafiz, Mohammed Ahmed al-Munawar and Jamal Saeed were all arrested by Pakistani security forces. 

At a trial held in 1988, all of the convicts admitted to having carried out the hijackings and were given death sentences that were later commuted to life imprisonment.