Flight 587 commemorated on 23rd anniversary
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Family members and officials gathered in Rockaway on Tuesday to commemorate the anniversary of the Flight 587 crash. Photo by Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Unit
By Ryan Schwach
Family members of the victims of the American Airlines Flight 587 crash gathered in Rockaway on Tuesday to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy that killed 265 people, which occurred 23 years ago.
The family members acknowledged the anniversary of the crash about a mile from where the plane went down, as they have nearly every year since it happened in 2001.
“We gather once again to honor and remember our beloved families and friends who left us too soon,” said Belkis Lora, who is the president of the committee which marks the anniversary every year. “Over the past 23 years, many aspects of our life have changed. The children who lost their parents on the flight had since become adults. Sadly, we have also lost loved ones who have stood by us for many years. Yet one thing remains constant, our commitment to remembering this day and honoring the memories.”
Flight 587 crashed on the Rockaway peninsula shortly after it took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport on Nov. 12, 2001, just about two months after the terror attacks of Sept. 11.
It was later determined that the crash occurred after a pilot overcorrected the rudder controls on the aircraft after getting caught in wake turbulence from another plane that took off a few minutes before it.
All 260 people on board died in the crash, as did five people on the ground in the Belle Harbor section of Rockaway.
The passengers were on their way to the Dominican Republic, and many of the victims’ families lived in Washington Heights in Manhattan.
“The pain does not dissipate,” Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday. “Over 20 something years, and it is still as fresh and as new to the family members who feel the loss, and it is so important that we read over the names because it allows us to hold on to those memories.”
“I want to say that we are with you,” the mayor added.
Local Councilmembers Joann Ariola and Selvena Brooks-Powers also acknowledged the anniversary.
“This heartbreaking event deeply impacted our community and forever changed the lives of the families who lost loved ones that day,” Brooks-Powers said. “My thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stands together each year to keep the memories of the Flight 587 victims alive.”
