When Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field on September 11, 2001, it was 20 minutes away from the US capital Washington - but what was the intended target?
And what would have happened if brave passengers and crew hadn’t stormed the cockpit? How many more people would have lost their lives alongside the 44 people on board?
The only flight of the four hijacked on September 11 to not reach its intended target, Flight 93 is somewhat shrouded by mystery. What we know for sure is that one of the hijackers aboard Flight 93, Ziad Jarrah, a trained pilot, turned the aircraft around back towards Washington. The 9/11 Commission Report, the most comprehensive study of the terrorist attacks, concluded the plane’s target was either the White House or the Capitol- but which one- the final destination of the flight remains somewhat unknown.
Investigative personnel search the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 looking for debris and evidence, including the plane's flight recorder, 12 September 2001 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (AFP via Getty Images)Statements made by al-Qaeda masterminds give us some indication that the terrorist group had difficulties agreeing on landmarks to attack.
In 2003, while being interrogated by US agents, al Qaeda mastermind Sheikh Mohammed claimed there was difficulty deciding where to attack within the terrorist group. Bin Laden wanted to destroy the White House, Pentagon and World Trade Centre, but his co-conspirators wanted to strike the Capitol instead. Before he was captured and arrested, Sheikh Mohammed also reportedly told an Al Jazeera reporter that Flight 93 had been headed for the Capitol building. It would appear bin Laden was successfully persuaded.
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What we know for sure is that one of the hijackers aboard Flight 93, Ziad Jarrah, a trained pilot, turned the aircraft around back towards Washington (AFP via Getty Images)More revelations make the story of Flight 93 even more extraordinary. Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a Yemeni man and conspirator in the plot, is believed by US intelligence to be the intended 20th hijacker but he never received a visa to enter the US. It is suspected he would have been aboard Flight 93, which had four hijackers, one less than the other three planes. Who knows what would have happened if there had been one more terrorist on the plane?
Two days ago, a businessman shared his own incredible story from the fateful day on X (formally known as Twitter )
Bill Ellmore had been booked on to United Airlines Flight 93 right up until the early hours of 9/11 when his assistant called, urging him to change his flight.
A makeshift memorial stands 10 March 2002, at a site overlooking the field where United Airlines flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on 11 September, 2001 (AFP via Getty Images)Bill, the CEO of Solomons Global Executive Services, was initially annoyed by the suggestion, which would mean he had to give up his first-class seat and refused. After his assistant explained that if he flew on Flight 93 he would miss the meeting he was travelling for, he reluctantly agreed.
Bill watched enviously as passengers boarded Flight 93, in blissful ignorance about the terror which was about to occur.
"When I got to the airport, I watched people boarding flight 93 and I was upset that I was not leaving earlier, in my 1st class seat on a direct flight," he wrote.
When he finally boarded his rebooked plane, he watched the Twin Towers collapse from the runway, an experience which he says changed him.
"I now take every opportunity to watch and if possible, get to know the people I’m boarding a plane with," he wrote. "I never hesitate to give up my seat for a later flight if requested.”
However, the final revelation of the story is what captured the attention of X users: Bill subsequently fired the assistant who had ultimately saved his life.
"Sad to say, I ultimately had to fire her for poor performance. It was difficult," he wrote. "The reason I was originally booked on Flight 93 was due to her performance issues. These issues didn’t improve afterwards and I delayed letting her go until my boss insisted it happen."
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One X user commented, “Damn... she saved your life, and you fired her... you're a different type of guy” and another said “he fired her…I guess it’s true that no good deed goes unpunished.”
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