Family members of the dozens of people killed in the American Airlines Flight 587 tragedy gathered at the crash site in Queens on Tuesday to mark the 23rd anniversary of the disaster.
Belkis Lora, whose brother, Jose Lora, was among the 265 people who perished in the 2001 tragedy, said during an anniversary ceremony near the crash site in Belle Harbor that “many aspects of our life have changed” since the accident.
“The children who lost their parents on the flight have since become adults. Sadly, we have also lost a loved one who has stood by us for many years,” said Lora, who’s the president of the Committee in Memory of Flight 587. “Yet, one thing remains constant: Our commitment to remembering this day and honoring the memories. Even in our sadness and pain … we take this time to honor the memory of our loved ones on this day.”
American Airlines Flight 587 was bound for the Dominican Republic on Nov. 12, 2001 from Kennedy Airport. But shortly after takeoff, the aircraft crashed into Belle Harbor, killing all 260 people onboard and five people on the ground.
The incident set off panic in an already anxious city, reeling at the time from the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attack.
Mayor Adams, who joined family members of the victims for Tuesday’s ceremony, referenced the traumatic timing of the crash in remarks.
“Weeks after [the] Sept. 11th attack, we were still mourning the death and loss of so many people, and to find out right here in this community of Belle Harbor, a simple trip en route to the Dominican Republic, had to experience such a devastating loss to the Dominican community here in the city, but also to every New Yorker,” he said.