Whenever an event rocks the world, it doesn't take long for conspiracy theories about it to develop. Some people are questioning whether John F Kennedy was really shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, whether the Americans really landed on the moon and whether Al-Qaeda really was behind the events of September 11, 2001. One of the greatest tragedies of the Eighties is another source for conspiracy theorists and after more than 20 years, it seems that the Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation will never really draw to a conclusion.
The events of December 21, 1988 were the greatest disaster in British aviation history. An aircraft from the American airline Pan Am exploded in flight not long after it took off from Heathrow Airport. A bomb had caused the explosion, which happened in the air above Lockerbie, a small town in Scotland.
The crash caused the deaths of all crew and passengers on board the plane. Eleven more people were killed on the ground when parts of the aircraft landed in a residential area of Lockerbie. The total death toll was 270, of which 189 victims were from the USA and 43 were from the UK. In all, people of 19 nationalities were killed.
After an investigation lasting three years, two Libyan nationals were accused of the bombing. They were only handed over for trial in 1999 and eventually one was found guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, appealed twice and was eventually released on compassionate grounds in 2009. Libya accepted responsibility for the bombing and paid compensation to the victims' families.
Conspiracy theorists believe that Libya never was responsible for the atrocity. There are several theories about what really happened. One of the more bizarre ones is that the CIA was the guilty party, having bombed the plane so that two agents on board couldn't tell anyone about a drug-running operation that the CIA was involved in. According to this theory, the operation was being run in return for information that would help secure the release of hostages in Syria.
Maybe a little less far-fetched is the theory that the bomb was used to assassinate the newly appointed UN commissioner to Namibia, who died in the crash too. South Africa was busy negotiating the handing over of Namibia to the control of the UN at the time. Interestingly, South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs and members of his delegation were supposed to be on Flight 103 but had changed their plans.
Since 2009, there have been calls for a new, independent investigation into the crash. This process should be overseen by the UN. Online petitions were started and signatories included high-profile figures as well as relatives of some victims. They want an inquiry to find out what really happened, who really was responsible and whether the right man and even the right country had been found guilty of the worst act of terrorism on British soil.
Even though another Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation hasn't been opened, it's not impossible for it to happen. The wreckage is still being kept as evidence since there are still ongoing legal proceedings after all these years. Maybe looking at these pieces of evidence anew will finally answer everyone's questions and lay the case to rest.
The events of December 21, 1988 were the greatest disaster in British aviation history. An aircraft from the American airline Pan Am exploded in flight not long after it took off from Heathrow Airport. A bomb had caused the explosion, which happened in the air above Lockerbie, a small town in Scotland.
The crash caused the deaths of all crew and passengers on board the plane. Eleven more people were killed on the ground when parts of the aircraft landed in a residential area of Lockerbie. The total death toll was 270, of which 189 victims were from the USA and 43 were from the UK. In all, people of 19 nationalities were killed.
After an investigation lasting three years, two Libyan nationals were accused of the bombing. They were only handed over for trial in 1999 and eventually one was found guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, appealed twice and was eventually released on compassionate grounds in 2009. Libya accepted responsibility for the bombing and paid compensation to the victims' families.
Conspiracy theorists believe that Libya never was responsible for the atrocity. There are several theories about what really happened. One of the more bizarre ones is that the CIA was the guilty party, having bombed the plane so that two agents on board couldn't tell anyone about a drug-running operation that the CIA was involved in. According to this theory, the operation was being run in return for information that would help secure the release of hostages in Syria.
Maybe a little less far-fetched is the theory that the bomb was used to assassinate the newly appointed UN commissioner to Namibia, who died in the crash too. South Africa was busy negotiating the handing over of Namibia to the control of the UN at the time. Interestingly, South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs and members of his delegation were supposed to be on Flight 103 but had changed their plans.
Since 2009, there have been calls for a new, independent investigation into the crash. This process should be overseen by the UN. Online petitions were started and signatories included high-profile figures as well as relatives of some victims. They want an inquiry to find out what really happened, who really was responsible and whether the right man and even the right country had been found guilty of the worst act of terrorism on British soil.
Even though another Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation hasn't been opened, it's not impossible for it to happen. The wreckage is still being kept as evidence since there are still ongoing legal proceedings after all these years. Maybe looking at these pieces of evidence anew will finally answer everyone's questions and lay the case to rest.
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