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CNN Live At Daybreak
9/11 Investigation: Final Minutes on Flight 11
Aired January 28, 2004 - 05:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: It's still very painful to hear, but more details are emerging about the final minutes of American Airlines Flight 11 just before it slammed into the World Trade Center.
And our Joe Johns has details from a hearing into the 9/11 attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A chilling tape recorded telephone call played publicly for the first time at a hearing of the September 11 commission.
BETTY ONG, FLIGHT ATTENDANT: The cockpit's not answering, and somebody's stabbed in business class and I think there's mace that we can't breathe. I don't know. I think we're getting hijacked.
JOHNS: It was the voice of flight attendant Betty Ong on board American Airlines Flight 11 taken over September 11 by five hijackers, piloted by ringleader Mohammed Atta.
With members of Betty Ong's and other 9/11 family members listening in, commission members relived those moments shortly before the plane crashed into the World Trade Center.
ONG: We just left Boston. We're up in the air. We're supposed to go to L.A. and the cockpit's not answering their phone.
JOHNS: Among the voices on the other end, American Airlines operations specialist Nyvea Gonzalez, giving encouragement.
NYVEA GONZALEZ, AMERICAN AIRLINES: Betty? You're doing a great job. Just stay calm, OK?
JOHNS: Gonzalez was at a reservations center in North Carolina, also struggling to get as much information as she could.
GONZALEZ: Do you know any information as far as the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the cockpit with the pilot? Were they from first class?
ONG: They were sitting in 2a and b. They are in the cockpit with the pilots.
JOHNS: Gonzalez praised Betty Ong as a hero for calmly providing critical information. GONZALEZ: Betty's selfless acts of courage and determination may have saved the lives of many others. She provided some important information which ultimately led to the closing of our nation's airspace for the first time in its history.
JOHNS (on camera): The tape was a vivid reminder that what went wrong on September 11 is still a powerful question. The commission wants two additional two months to complete its work, just three months before the election. The White House said it should move forward as quickly as possible.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 28, 2004 - 05:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: It's still very painful to hear, but more details are emerging about the final minutes of American Airlines Flight 11 just before it slammed into the World Trade Center.
And our Joe Johns has details from a hearing into the 9/11 attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A chilling tape recorded telephone call played publicly for the first time at a hearing of the September 11 commission.
BETTY ONG, FLIGHT ATTENDANT: The cockpit's not answering, and somebody's stabbed in business class and I think there's mace that we can't breathe. I don't know. I think we're getting hijacked.
JOHNS: It was the voice of flight attendant Betty Ong on board American Airlines Flight 11 taken over September 11 by five hijackers, piloted by ringleader Mohammed Atta.
With members of Betty Ong's and other 9/11 family members listening in, commission members relived those moments shortly before the plane crashed into the World Trade Center.
ONG: We just left Boston. We're up in the air. We're supposed to go to L.A. and the cockpit's not answering their phone.
JOHNS: Among the voices on the other end, American Airlines operations specialist Nyvea Gonzalez, giving encouragement.
NYVEA GONZALEZ, AMERICAN AIRLINES: Betty? You're doing a great job. Just stay calm, OK?
JOHNS: Gonzalez was at a reservations center in North Carolina, also struggling to get as much information as she could.
GONZALEZ: Do you know any information as far as the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the cockpit with the pilot? Were they from first class?
ONG: They were sitting in 2a and b. They are in the cockpit with the pilots.
JOHNS: Gonzalez praised Betty Ong as a hero for calmly providing critical information. GONZALEZ: Betty's selfless acts of courage and determination may have saved the lives of many others. She provided some important information which ultimately led to the closing of our nation's airspace for the first time in its history.
JOHNS (on camera): The tape was a vivid reminder that what went wrong on September 11 is still a powerful question. The commission wants two additional two months to complete its work, just three months before the election. The White House said it should move forward as quickly as possible.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
