In 2001, while everyone was focused on the tragic events of September 11, other important things happened too. Some were sad, some were strange, and some were shocking. These events didn't get much attention because of 9/11, but they're still worth knowing about. They remind us that even in tough times, life keeps going with its mix of good and bad moments.
here are the 7 incidents that didn't get much attention during 9/11:
1. Flight 236
Three weeks before the 9/11 attacks, Air Transat Flight 236 was on its way from Toronto to Lisbon when it ran out of fuel in the middle of the Atlantic. The plane then glided for 75 miles to an airport in the Azores and safely landed, setting the record for longest glide of a passenger airplane. Imagine being on a plane that has run out of fuel and is gliding for 75 miles to attempt a landing. My buttcheeks would be cramping so hard from clenching for 75 miles.
2. Gary Condit: Murder Case (Congressman)
Congressman Gary Condit was having an affair with 24-year-old intern Chandra Levy, who went missing and was later found murdered. The media heavily covered the story, especially after it was revealed that Levy had been involved with Congressman Condit. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, significantly overshadowed the ongoing investigation into Chandra Levy's disappearance. Media attention and public focus shifted almost entirely to the events and aftermath of the attacks. To this date, The case remains officially unsolved.
3. Airbus A-300
Two months after the attack, American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300, was on its way from New York City to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The flight crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five people on the ground. It was the second-deadliest aviation accident in US history and is not well remembered.
The most interesting thing is that Marion Britton, who survied the 9/11 attack, was among the passengers on board Flight 587 and died in the crash.
4. Ex-Cop Scammed McDonald
A big investigation showed that the McDonald's Monopoly game was frauded since 1989 and hardly anyone really won. Jerome Jacobson, a former cop who became a security auditor for the company in charge of the Monopoly game, was basically running a criminal operation. He cheated by giving winning pieces to people he knew, like family, friends, and even the mafia. This went on for years, and hardly anyone who won was actually legit. When this came out, it was just a few weeks before 9/11, so it didn't get much attention.
5. Nepalese Royal Family Massacre
On 1st June 2001, Nine members of the royal family were killed, including the King. King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, and several other members of the royal family were killed in the massacre at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in Kathmandu. Crown Prince Dipendra was initially suspected of the killings, as he was found among the dead with a gunshot wound.
Dipendra was declared king while in a coma, but he died three days later without ever regaining consciousness. The exact sequence of events and the motive behind the massacre remains the subject of speculation and controversy.
6. Hainan Island incident (China VS USA)
In April 2001, When the EP-3E a US Aircraft was conducting a routine surveillance mission in international airspace, the Chinese jet was dispatched to intercept and monitor the US aircraft. During the interception, the Chinese pilot maneuvered too closely to the EP-3E, resulting in a collision.
The collision caused the Chinese jet to crash into the sea, resulting in the death of the Chinese pilot. The damaged US aircraft made an emergency landing on Hainan Island. The crew of the EP-3E was detained by Chinese authorities for several days, leading to a diplomatic standoff between the United States and China. The first major geopolitical mess of George Bush's presidency. Gave the world a somewhat major incident. I got briefly concerned as a teenager.
Eventually, after intense negotiations, the crew of the EP-3E was released, and the aircraft was dismantled and transported back to the United States.
7. Death of TV Star
In the Summer of 2001, Fox aired a documentary-styled reality show called Murder In Small Town X. The finale aired just a week before 9/11. The winner of the first and only season was a firefighter, and he was one of the first responders at the World Trade Center that was killed. His body wouldn't be discovered until two months later. With so much else that happened on 9/11, one of the victims being a reality TV star was surprisingly rarely brought up.