#SanFrancisco Chinatown native Betty Ong was a flight attendant working on American Airlines flight 11. She was credited with being the first person to alert authorities to the deadly hijackings that took place #September11 2001. She is a hero. *****PlOzMx2Uwt
— KTVU (@KTVU) September 8, 2021
根據美國國家廣播公司(NBC)11日報導,在九一一攻擊當天一早,45歲空姐鄧月薇(Betty Ann Ong)額外加班從波士頓執飛,準備飛往洛杉磯,以利她與姊姊會合,一起飛往夏威夷享受期待已久的度假旅行。
然而事情卻出乎意料,客機起飛14分鍾後就遭到5名劫機犯劫持,飛行路線也大轉彎朝向紐約市。
值此混亂之際,在美國航空任職14年的鄧月薇依直覺行事,她在機艙尾端打電話至該航空設於北卡羅來納州首府羅裏的客服中心,告知機上發生的事,及時讓世人知道一場震天動地的恐攻正在上演。
根據公布的錄音片段,鄧月薇以平穩的語氣說:“駕駛艙沒有回應,商務艙有人被刺了,我想有人釋放“梅斯”(Mace)毒氣,我們無法呼吸。我不太清楚現在狀況,但我想我們被劫機了。”
鄧月薇與同事合力跟地麵維持通話23分鍾,提供了所有可能的重要資訊,包括劫機犯的身分,這也使得塔台人員及時通報美國各地,預防更多類似攻擊。
盡管通話時間不長,卻足以將飛機裏發生情況公之於世,當時恐怖分子重傷了兩名空服員,割開了一名商務艙乘客的喉嚨,並強行進入駕駛艙,在那裏麵,劫機犯很可能殺死了2名副駕駛,取得飛機的控製權。
在另一段公布的通話錄音中,鄧月薇說:“我們的1號被刺傷,我們的5號也被刺傷了。有任何人可以聯係到駕駛艙嗎?有任何人可以聯係到駕駛艙嗎?我們甚至無法進入駕駛艙。我們不知道裏麵有誰清醒著。”
她的最後一句話是“為我們祈禱”。
11號班機在8時46分撞向紐約世貿中心北塔,就此聯係中斷,機上81名乘客和11名機組員不幸罹難。
華裔鄧月薇的英勇之舉獲“九一一委員會”(911 Commission)宣告她是國家英雄。
(蘋果日報,2021年9月12日)
Pain never ebbs for family of Betty Ong, flight attendant who made first 9/11 alert. *****xtRNcQaGf7
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 11, 2021
Twenty years later, the pain of the #September11 attacks still haunts many, as if it were yesterday.
— Colma Police Department (@ColmaPD) September 11, 2021
Today, we brought flowers and paid our respects to Betty Ong, #AmericanAirlines flight attendant and 9/11 #Flight11 Hero.
Today, and every day, let us #NeverForget! pic.twitter.com/fqt9rG9SJp
#NeverForget Todd Beamer (1968-2001) was awarded hero status when it was discovered that he had helped organize an attempt to regain control of Flight 93 from the 911 hijackers. His last audible words, overhead during a phone call, were:
— UNG Women's Hoops (@UNGWBB) September 11, 2019
Are you guys ready? Let's roll. pic.twitter.com/geCsSZGJTT
Former Pres. Bush at Flight 93 Memorial:
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 11, 2021
"The 33 passengers and 7 crew of Flight 93 could have been any group of citizens selected by fate. In a sense, they stood in for us all. The terrorists soon discovered that a random group of Americans is an exceptional group of people." pic.twitter.com/eUzbACRjDL
We honor those lives lost on Flight 93 on that dark day in history 20 years ago. No matter how much time has passed, these commemorations bring everything painfully back for their loved ones.
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 11, 2021
Your courage gives us courage. pic.twitter.com/MzXiTba13t