Catastrophic Airline Crisis: 9/11 - The Most Disastrous Incident in Aviation Chronicles
On a fateful September morning in 2001, the world was shaken by a series of coordinated terrorist attacks orchestrated by the middle-eastern terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda, founded by Osama bin Laden. Four commercial flights were hijacked, two from United Airlines and two from American Airlines, resulting in over 2996 lost lives, most of which were civilians.
The first attack was on American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, which was hijacked at 8.14 AM and crashed into the northern tower of the World Trade Center at 8.46 AM. The hijackers, led by Mohamed Atta, included Abdulaziz al-Omari, Waleed al-Shehri, Wail al-Shehri, and Satam al-Suqami. The tragedy claimed the lives of 92 people onboard and around 1600 people on the ground.
Shortly after, at 8.45 AM, United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked by Marwan al-Shehhi, Fayez Banihammad, Mohand al-Shehri, Ahmed al-Ghamdi, and Hamza al-Ghamdi. The aircraft, another Boeing 767, was piloted by al-Shehhi and crashed into the southern tower of the World Trade Center at 9.03 AM, resulting in 65 deaths onboard and around 900 people on the ground.
Meanwhile, American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, was hijacked at 8.54 AM by a team led by Hani Hanjour. The plane crashed into the western wing of the Pentagon building at 9.37 AM, resulting in 64 deaths onboard and over a hundred people inside the Pentagon.
United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757-222 on its way from Newark International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, was hijacked 46 minutes after take-off, at 9.28. The hijackers, led by Ziad Jarrah, planned to crash the plane into the U.S. Capitol Building, potentially resulting in additional hundreds of fatalities. However, the passengers revolted against the hijackers 29 minutes after the hijacking, around 09.57, ultimately averting the planned disaster. The crash of United Airlines Flight 93 resulted in 44 deaths, 4 of which were Al-Qaeda hijackers.
The tragedy of September 11, 2001, changed the civil aviation world, recreating security standards and procedures for the industry. The events of that day continue to serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and unity in the face of adversity.
- The aviation history was significantly marked by the series of aviation accidents on September 11, 2001, also known as 9/11, which was a turning point in world politics and general news.
- The war-and-conflicts landscape altered when Al-Qaeda, the middle-eastern terrorist organization, carried out a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on multiple commercial flights, causing a massive impact on aviation history.
- In sports and sports-betting circles, September 11, 2001, is not just a date but a significant event that contributed to major changes in the aviation sector, impacting millions of lives worldwide.
- Crime-and-justice news reported the orchestration of the 9/11 attacks, where terrorists hijacked several commercial flights, demonstrating the extent of the terror and tragic loss of life in this dark chapter of aviation accidents and war-and-conflicts history.
