The small town of Lockerbie in Scotland witnessed the Pan Am flight 103 disaster which claimed the lives of 270 people. Inquiry into this disaster stretched to cover 20 countries. The final Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation findings indicated that a bomb was responsible for the death of 259 on board and the 11 who perished on the ground. Findings that a bomb was involved escalated the investigations to term it as a terrorist act.
The analysis revealed that the plan was traveling at 31,000 feet in the sky when it exploded. It was termed as a terrorist attack and the blame was laid on Libya. Investigations involved piecing together the debris in a warehouse in order to establish the cause and circumstances surrounding the crash. This became the worst plane disaster that involved terrorism and attracted world media to the small town.
Investigators spent years collecting evidence and piecing it together before concluding that Libyans were involved. The two suspects were Baset Abdel and Khalifa Al-Amin. The judge concluded that Khalifa was not culpable according to the evidence presented and therefore set him free. The government of Libya was ordered to pay a total of 2.7 billion dollars as compensation because the blame lay on Abdel Baset who was sentenced to death.
The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch spearheaded the investigations because the accident happened within their air space. The debris that was gathered in this disaster area totaled around 4 million pieces. The area covered by investigations stretched to 2000 square kilometers. Documentation and simulation had to be done using computers in order to piece the debris together.
Involvement of terrorists brought a new dimension into the probe. Investigators found PETN and RDX chemicals which cause Semtex explosion. A combined team of local police, Scotland Yard and FBI carried out the investigations. The bomb could have gained its way into the plane at Frankfurt.
American interest into the investigations was heightened by the number of Americans who died in the disaster. Of the 270 who perished, 189 were Americans. This was the worst attack on her citizens and would only be overtaken by the 9/11 attack years later. Evidence presented during investigations was collected from about 15,000 people with 180,000 pieces being presented as exhibits. 3,500 photos were taken on the scene. It is considered the most expensive inquiry in the history of aviation.
The cost of inquiry totaled more than 60 million dollars. 230 witnesses were called to testify over a trial that lasted a total of 89 days. Transcripts for the trail went beyond 10,000 pages. Authorities in Libya claimed that they were not involved in the said attack but were only used as excuses for political reasons. This brought to fore the theory that Palestine was involved instead.
The entry of Iran into the debate was linked to a conflict with America where 290 Iranians died in a crush attack by Americans along the Persian Gulf. Libya only accepted to make payments after sanctions were imposed at the UN level. This turn of events has killed the morale and made many to believe that the truth will never be known.
The analysis revealed that the plan was traveling at 31,000 feet in the sky when it exploded. It was termed as a terrorist attack and the blame was laid on Libya. Investigations involved piecing together the debris in a warehouse in order to establish the cause and circumstances surrounding the crash. This became the worst plane disaster that involved terrorism and attracted world media to the small town.
Investigators spent years collecting evidence and piecing it together before concluding that Libyans were involved. The two suspects were Baset Abdel and Khalifa Al-Amin. The judge concluded that Khalifa was not culpable according to the evidence presented and therefore set him free. The government of Libya was ordered to pay a total of 2.7 billion dollars as compensation because the blame lay on Abdel Baset who was sentenced to death.
The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch spearheaded the investigations because the accident happened within their air space. The debris that was gathered in this disaster area totaled around 4 million pieces. The area covered by investigations stretched to 2000 square kilometers. Documentation and simulation had to be done using computers in order to piece the debris together.
Involvement of terrorists brought a new dimension into the probe. Investigators found PETN and RDX chemicals which cause Semtex explosion. A combined team of local police, Scotland Yard and FBI carried out the investigations. The bomb could have gained its way into the plane at Frankfurt.
American interest into the investigations was heightened by the number of Americans who died in the disaster. Of the 270 who perished, 189 were Americans. This was the worst attack on her citizens and would only be overtaken by the 9/11 attack years later. Evidence presented during investigations was collected from about 15,000 people with 180,000 pieces being presented as exhibits. 3,500 photos were taken on the scene. It is considered the most expensive inquiry in the history of aviation.
The cost of inquiry totaled more than 60 million dollars. 230 witnesses were called to testify over a trial that lasted a total of 89 days. Transcripts for the trail went beyond 10,000 pages. Authorities in Libya claimed that they were not involved in the said attack but were only used as excuses for political reasons. This brought to fore the theory that Palestine was involved instead.
The entry of Iran into the debate was linked to a conflict with America where 290 Iranians died in a crush attack by Americans along the Persian Gulf. Libya only accepted to make payments after sanctions were imposed at the UN level. This turn of events has killed the morale and made many to believe that the truth will never be known.
About the Author:
You can visit www.threesistersponds.com for more helpful information about Pan Am Flight 103 Air Crash Investigation Findings.
