Survivors, relatives of United Flight 232 crash victims share memories (25 years ago today)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/news/iowa/survivors-relatives-of-united-flight-crash-victims-share-memories/article_3f2bdfbe-4431-5a60-9077-a1d62744ea5a.html




CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
Barb Shereck, left, and Ellen Badis share memories about the United Flight 232 crash. Shereck lost her brother, sister-in-law and nephew while Badis and her two sons were on the flight and survived.


POSTED: FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014 5:50 PM
By Andrew J. Nelson / World-Herald staff writer

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. — Barb Shereck lost a brother, sister-in-law and nephew in the crash of United Flight 232. As the 25th anniversary approached, being in Sioux City for the commemoration seemed like the right thing for the Illinois woman to do.

On Friday, she met a survivor whose then-young son played on the airplane with her 5-year-old nephew. Shereck spoke with survivor Ellen Badis of North Carolina. The two figured out that one of Badis’ sons, Eric, then 6, was playing with Shereck’s nephew, Sean Feeney, on the flight. Eric, now 31, survived the crash and came to Sioux City for the weekend’s events.



THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iowa Air National Guard soldiers search a bean field near the burned engine of a United Airlines DC-10 after a crash-landing at Sioux City Airport, on Wednesday, July 20, 1989, in Sioux City, Iowa. The jet was en route to Chicago from Denver when it developed mechanical difficulties and tried to make an emergency landing. The jet crashed and burned.

Said Shereck: “I know in the last hour of it, he was happy ... so that was a really good thing.” She said that knowledge helps provide closure after 25 years.
Badis, a nurse, teared up as she described the meeting. “That’s one reason I come back, to maybe be there for people.”

Video: http://social.newsinc.com/media/json/69017/26425083/singleVideoOG.html?type=VideoPlayer%2F16x9&videoId=26425083#.U8sFLEjtUpk.email

FULL story at link.

[CBGLuthier]

1. The greatest single job of piloting in history

Even greater than Sullenberger's miracle Hudson landing. Hard to believe it was 25 years ago.

[Omaha Steve]

2. Yes it was

That video played on TV for a long time. I wish they had tried to ditch in the water landing gear up.

[Roy Serohz]

3. Amazing

Watching the video, I remember thinking, "Not a chance in Hell that anyone survived." The fact that a majority of the passengers did is a testament to the skill of the cockpit crew.