Hundreds Gather To Honor Flight 587 Victims On 10th Anniversary
NEW YORK (CBS 2) – Two months after the 9/11 attacks stunned the nation, another tragedy struck New York City and many feared the worst.
American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in Belle Harbor, Queens, and what many thought to be a potential terror attack turned out to be just a tragic accident resulting from pilot error. Still 265 people died. Hundreds gathered on Saturday to honor the victims on the 10th anniversary.
"Just to pay my respects, just to show that they are remembered and they are loved," Cathy Poza, of Flatbush, said. "Not just my cousin but everybody that was lost on that day."
Every name of every victim was read aloud, each resonating among the hundreds of family members there.
The plane went down just minutes after take off from Kennedy Airport on its way to the Dominican Republic.
A decade later, sadness and pain still grip the families. At the memorial, many held pictures to honor the victims.
As they've done every year since the memorial was decided in 2006, families placed roses next to the names of the loved ones they lost.
"That is showing love to place a flower to our loved ones and tell them that we still love them," said Belkis Lora, of Ozone Park, who lost her brother in the crash. "That flower and that memorial is all the love that all the families here we still have for them."
"It just means that she's recognized, that she's remembered, that we don't forget her, that somebody was here for her today," Anna Delgado, of Bensonhurst, said.
A memorial service was held on Saturday night at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
