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CNN Live Event/Special

America Under Attack: Final Moments Aboard Flight in Pennsylvania

Aired September 13, 2001 - 05:15   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.
VINCE CELLINI, CNN ANCHOR: We have dramatic new details from the final moments of United Airlines Flight 93. That was the hijacked airliner that crashed in the field in Pennsylvania.

The clues come from the cockpit transmissions and cell phone calls made by passengers.

CNN's Kelli Arena has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sometime before United Airlines Flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania, a microphone in the cockpit was left open.

Air traffic controllers heard shouting, someone yelling, "Get out of here!" The microphone is momentarily turned off. It comes back on, scuffling is heard, and again, a voice yells, "Get out of here!"

The microphone is again turned off. When it's turned on again, it is clear the pilot is no longer in the cockpit. Someone is heard speaking in broken English in what was described as an Arabic accent, telling passengers -- quote: "There is a bomb on board. This is the captain speaking. Remain in your seat. There is a bomb on board. Stay quiet. We are meeting their demands. We are returning to the airport."

While this was going on in the cockpit, we have information about what was happening in the cabin. One passenger, 31-year-old Jeremy Glick, was flying with his two-month old child.

He called home from the doomed plane. He said the passengers were herded to the rear of the plane by a trio of hijackers, armed with knives and a red box they say contained a bomb.

When Glick's family confirmed for him what another passenger heard, that a plane had already struck the World Trade Center, Glick dropped the phone, then returned to tell his family the male passengers had taken a vote to attack the hijackers.

Glick wasn't heard from again. The plane held 38 passengers and a crew of eight.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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