How did ground personnel first learn that Flight 11 had been hijacked?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Flight 11, American Airlines Flight 11, was the first airplane to be hijacked during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ground personnel first learned that Flight 11 had been hijacked when air traffic controllers began receiving distress signals and communications from the flight crew.
Shortly after takeoff from Boston Logan International Airport, the plane was diverted off course. The hijackers, armed with knives and other weapons, took control of the aircraft. The first indication that something was wrong came when the flight crew failed to respond to standard radio communications. At 8:14 AM, Flight 11’s flight attendants sent a silent alarm to alert ground personnel, signaling a potential hijacking.
At 8:19 AM, air traffic controllers heard the first direct indication of a hijacking when they received a transmission from the flight’s captain. The message was short and cryptic, confirming that the plane had been taken over by hijackers. The captain said, “We have some planes. Just stay quiet, and you’ll be okay.” This message was a clear signal that the plane had been hijacked.
Ground personnel, including air traffic controllers and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), immediately recognized the severity of the situation. They coordinated with law enforcement and other agencies to track Flight 11’s movements. As the situation escalated, it became clear that this was part of a coordinated terrorist attack, but at the time, the full scope of the attacks was still unknown.
The hijacking of Flight 11 marked the beginning of a series of events that would unfold later that morning. The plane ultimately crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 AM, just 32 minutes after the first signs of trouble. This tragic event led to profound changes in U.S. aviation security policies.