On September 5, 1986, the attack of Pan American World Airways Flight 73 in Pakistan resulted in the deaths of 22 passengers and crew, including two Americans.
An Indian flight attendant, Chandigarh-born Neerja was also killed in this attack while helping passengers to escape through emergency exits.
Over 31 years ago, security forces laid siege to the New York-bound plane at Karachi airport after a group of terrorists led by Zaid Hassan Abd Latif Safarini seized control of Flight 73.
The hijackers were eventually captured by Pakistan commandos.
Safarini, who confessed to the attack and pledged allegiance to the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO), was sentenced to 160 years in 2004.
But the four wanted hijackers, last seen in Pakistan in 2008, remain at large.
The charges laid on four suspects also include the attempted murder of 379 passengers and crew and the wounding of more than 100 individuals on board.
Using new age-progression technology, FBI technicians created new photos of four alleged Pan Am Flight 73 hijackers. The original photographs were first obtained by the FBI in the year 2000.
Age-progressed photos of four suspects who have alleged roles in a 1986 attack in Pakistan (Photo source: FBI). Source: Supplied
The four suspects, listed on the FBI's 'Most Wanted Terrorists' page, include Wadoud Muhammad Hafiz al-Turki, Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, Muhammad Abdullah Khalil Hussain ar- Rahayyal and Muhammad Ahmed al-Munawar.
According to FBI they are believed to have been members of the Abu Nidal Organization, which was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State.
“It’s always been an active case of ours,” said the lead FBI agent on the case.
He said images of the suspects obtained by the FBI in the year 2000 were age-progressed by the FBI Laboratory.
“We’re hoping that with the age-progression photos next to the original photos maybe that will jar some memories or maybe someone has seen these guys walking around.”
The FBI has also offered a reward of USD5 million for providing leads to this case.
“No matter how much time has passed or the obstacles we encounter,” the case agent said, “we owe it to the victims and their families to never give up on them.”
The Pan Am crew were recognised with courage awards by the airline in 1986, the US Department of Justice in 2005 and the US attorney general in 2006.
A statue of flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who was killed while trying to save passengers aboard the Pan Am Flight 73. Source: Supplied
Posthumously, Neerja Bhanot became the youngest recipient of India's highest peacetime gallantry, the Ashok Chakra Award, as well as several other accolades from the Government of Pakistan and the United States.
‘Her loyalties to the passengers of the aircraft in distress will forever be a lasting tribute to the finest qualities of the human spirit’ — Ashok Chakra citation.
In 2004, the Indian Postal Service released a stamp commemorating the sacrifice made by Neeraj Bhanot.
Her life and heroism inspired the biopic Neerja released in 2016.
