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CNN Live Sunday
Man Who Threatened to Crash Stolen Plane Into Frankfurt Building Arrested
Aired January 05, 2003 - 17:13 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: High rises were evacuated in downtown Frankfurt, Germany today as a small plane circled the area for over an hour. It was quite dramatic, very upsetting for a lot of people there. Officials say he took the aircraft at gunpoint, then threatened to crash it into a building. Frankfurt bureau chief Chris Burns is live with more on how the situation was resolved -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN FRANKFURT BUREAU CHIEF: Anderson, this man, German man here from this area in his 30s took that plane and flew it around the skyline of Frankfurt, demanding that he'd be able to talk to the media and also talk to the brother of Judith Resnik, the woman astronaut who died in the Challenger space shuttle crash back in 1986. Apparently, he said that she was his biggest idol, and that is why he wanted to make that point and to go to that end to fly around and around over the Frankfurt skyline, threatening to crash the plane into the headquarters of the European Central Bank, that's the home of the European central currency.
A couple of times I was watching helplessly along with thousands of other people here in Frankfurt as the plane swooped in over the Frankfurt skyline, dove at one point, appearing ready to crash, pulled back up and minutes later flew between two of the skyscrapers. Incredible scenes to watch.
And at the same time, police helicopters pursuing the plane, trying to force it away. Also two fighter jets that scrambled after the plane, still unable to force it to leave. It was only apparently after he was able to talk to the media that he was able -- that he agreed to land here at Frankfurt Airport. The plane now impounded at a hangar inside here, and the man is now in police custody answering a lot of questions, Anderson.
COOPER: All right. No doubt. Chris Burns, thanks very much tonight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Building Arrested>
Aired January 5, 2003 - 17:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: High rises were evacuated in downtown Frankfurt, Germany today as a small plane circled the area for over an hour. It was quite dramatic, very upsetting for a lot of people there. Officials say he took the aircraft at gunpoint, then threatened to crash it into a building. Frankfurt bureau chief Chris Burns is live with more on how the situation was resolved -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN FRANKFURT BUREAU CHIEF: Anderson, this man, German man here from this area in his 30s took that plane and flew it around the skyline of Frankfurt, demanding that he'd be able to talk to the media and also talk to the brother of Judith Resnik, the woman astronaut who died in the Challenger space shuttle crash back in 1986. Apparently, he said that she was his biggest idol, and that is why he wanted to make that point and to go to that end to fly around and around over the Frankfurt skyline, threatening to crash the plane into the headquarters of the European Central Bank, that's the home of the European central currency.
A couple of times I was watching helplessly along with thousands of other people here in Frankfurt as the plane swooped in over the Frankfurt skyline, dove at one point, appearing ready to crash, pulled back up and minutes later flew between two of the skyscrapers. Incredible scenes to watch.
And at the same time, police helicopters pursuing the plane, trying to force it away. Also two fighter jets that scrambled after the plane, still unable to force it to leave. It was only apparently after he was able to talk to the media that he was able -- that he agreed to land here at Frankfurt Airport. The plane now impounded at a hangar inside here, and the man is now in police custody answering a lot of questions, Anderson.
COOPER: All right. No doubt. Chris Burns, thanks very much tonight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Building Arrested>
