In 1986, 22-year-old flight attendant Neerja Bhanot was on duty during Pan Am Flight 73 when terrorists hijacked it.
One Indian-American passenger was swiftly killed by the hijackers, who then asked Bhanot to gather all passengers' passports to identify the Americans. Defying their orders, Bhanot hid 43 American passengers' passports, some under seats and others in the trash.
After 17 grueling hours, the terrorists started setting off explosives and shooting. Bhanot, instead of escaping, opened the airplane doors and guided passengers to safety. In the process, she lost her life while protecting three American children from gunfire.
One of the children she shielded, only seven at the time, later became an airline captain. He credited Bhanot as his inspiration.
https://x.com/timecaptales/status/1769088654213775440?s=20