Posted on 09/27/2004 10:46:51 AM PDT by knighthawk
A New York fireman involved in the rescue effort following the September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers was among passengers on a plane diverted to London after a bomb alert.
Robert Santandrea, 33, from Queens, told how the alert on the plane flying from Athens to New York on Sunday brought back memories of 9/11.
"I was praying. I was a little nervous but everyone was very calm," said Mr Santandrea as he arrived at a hotel at Stansted airport with other passengers.
Mr Santandrea was a member of Engine 45 in the Bronx on September 11 and is now based in Brooklyn.
He lost friends in the attack on the Twin Towers and thought about them as the plane was diverted.
"I did lose friends at 9/11. I arrived after the Twin Towers collapsed and was involved in the rescue efforts after that.
"It made me think about that today and now I'm just so tired."
He went on: "We had just passed over Europe. Not too far over Europe. We were over the Atlantic.
"I could see on the monitor on the screen in front of me that the plane was starting to turn and change course.
"And then a few minutes after that there was an announcement from the pilot who said there had been a threat against the airline. He wasn't specific about whether it was the airline or this plane and we were told we were returning to England. At first he said we would be returning to Heathrow but we ended up here. It was a very normal landing. We didn't assume crash positions or anything like that."
Ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.