5.The Hijacking
Shortly into Qantas flight 1737, a passenger tried to enter the plane’s cockpit, with two wooden stakes, an aerosol can and a lighter. Seeing what was about to unfold, flight attendant Denise Hickson attempted to intercept the hijacker, who then stabbed her. Undeterred, purser Greg Khan followed suit and tried to take the man down. Despite being stabbed in the head twice, Khan continued to tackle the man until he restrained him.
6.The Human Shield
Pan Am crewmember Neerja Bhanot was shot to death shielding three children from the hijacker who had seized the 1986 flight to New York. Bhanot has been highly commended, including the Ashok Chakra, an Indian military decoration for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. Her life-saving acts included hiding passengers’ passports, preventing hijackers from singling out certain nationalities, and ensuring passengers evacuated from the door she opened, before she did.
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