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Stewardess recounts hijacking on TWA 847
Ali Derickson, chief flight attendant, said speaking German helped calm the hijackers aboard TWA Flight 847. She noted four Marines in civilian clothes were aboard and one was killed, though the Marine Corps later denied Marines on board. Derickson described tense moments with two hijackers, one who spoke fluent German, and said she used her status as a German citizen to negotiate. Passengers were briefly freed in Algiers, and Derickson emphasized her role as interpreter between hijackers and cockpit authorities.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
TWA
Ali Derickson
Newton
N.J
U.S. Marine Corps
Derickson
Kennedy International Airport
Algiers
Algeria
Elizabeth J. Howes
Rimney
Wales
Germany
Allah