Fifth hijack aircraft fear as US recovers after 'black day' with four fatal hijacks: thousands feared dead, more injured

Airline Industry Information, Sept 11, 2001

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2001 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

(New material including suspected Korean hijack, revisions throughout)

Reports are coming in that US military aircraft have forced a Korean passenger aircraft to land at 'a Canadian airport' over fears that it may have been hijacked and heading to the United States. US military officials are on high alert following a day where four commercial aircraft crashed in a series of massive terrorist attacks against the United States of America.

All nonessential air traffic in the United States and Canada has been prohibited by government orders.

The United States has been rocked by a series of attacks which began at 0845 EDT when a hi-jacked aircraft, thought to be American Airlines flight 11 flying between Boston and Los Angeles, crashed into one of the two towers at the World Trade Center in New York. Eighteen minutes later a second aircraft, thought to be United Airlines flight 175 flying between Boston and Los Angeles, crashed into the World Trade Center's second tower, hurling debris onto those who were being evacuated from the area at the time.

Information on the Canadian incident is currently scarce. Some reports suggest that the suspected hijack aircraft had, in fact, just suffered from a fuel problem and that precautionary measures were taken as a matter of course. Further information is expected to be revealed later today.

At 0943 EDT an aircraft thought to be American Airlines flight 77 flying between Washington Dulles Airport and Los Angeles, crashed into the Pentagon, the country's central military complex, in Washington, DC causing serious damage. Earlier reports that a helicopter also crashed into the Pentagon seemed to have been discounted.

At around 1010 EDT, United Airlines flight 93 aircraft crashed in Somerset County in Pennsylvania, about 80 miles southeast of the major city of Pittsburgh. The aircraft was flying between Newark (New York) and San Francisco. There were 38 passengers, five flight attendants and two pilots aboard the Boeing 757 aircraft. US media reports say that a passenger aboard flight 93 had locked himself in a bathroom and called the emergency services on a cellphone to advise that the aircraft had been hi-jacked. The call was timed to have been received at 0958 EDT, suggesting that control of the aircraft was seized late into the flight.

The aircraft crashed about 85 miles northwest of Camp David, the US presidential retreat. Rumours, so far not officially denied, suggest that the aircraft was shot down by an F-16 military jet. Other reports suggest that the pilot plunged the aircraft into the ground however both reports are as yet unverified.

American flight 11 was a Boeing 767 aircraft with 81 passengers, nine flight attendants and two pilots. American flight 77 was a Boeing 757 aircraft with 58 passengers, four flight attendants and two pilots. United flight 175 was a Boeing 767 aircraft with 56 passengers onboard, seven flight attendants and two pilots.

Reports that a further aircraft is en route to Washington, DC to an as-yet-unidentified target appear to have been downgraded. It is not clear yet whether the crash in Somerset County was actually en route to Washington DC or whether it was the 'missing' flight feared to be also heading to Washington DC.

Aviation experts say that it is very likely that the pilots had been killed by the hijackers before the aircraft crashed as trained pilots would 'do anything' to avoid such landmarks and the additional risk of mass public death and injury. It is thought that the hijackers, with some 'basic knowledge' flew the aircraft during the final stages.

US domestic airports have closed with new nonessential air movements cancelled due to the uncertain circumstances. This is the first time in U.S. history that air traffic throughout the country has been shutdown by government order. There is a risk that unauthorised air movements which cannot be verified face being shot down by military aircraft if a sufficient threat is assessed.

Aircraft inbound to the USA are being diverted wherever and most flights have turned around en route to the United States and returned to their departure point. Initial reports which suggested that Canada was closing its borders to inbound air traffic and re-routed US air traffic appear to be unfounded. David Collenette, transport minister for the Canadian government, said: "Until further notice, all air movements from Canadian airports are grounded, except for those flights required for urgent humanitarian purposes, and diversions by the FAA of international aircraft previously destined for the United States."

All US domestic aircraft that were in the air after the attacks have landed safely, report the FAA. Previously there had been several aircraft being unaccounted for and there were fears that there could be further 'suicide crashes' in the next few hours.

United Airlines has cancelled all of its worldwide flight movements and other US carriers are expected to follow suit. The FAA say that all US domestic aircraft will be grounded until at least 1200 EDT on 12 September and this timeframe could be extended indefinately, dependent on risk assessments and other factors. There is no timelime yet for a return to international air service.