Part 4/7:
He described the unfolding of events before the crash of the first tower. Thum was initially tasked with assessing a potential operational error related to aircraft separation. However, as alarms triggered on the radar indicating possible hijackings, he became increasingly aware of the gravity of the situation.
The Hijacking and Communication Challenges
Thum recounted that during this time, there was no communication from American Airlines Flight 11, indicating it was off course and potentially a hijack. His team was closely monitoring a primary target that ultimately disappeared from the radar just before reaching Manhattan. The lack of a signal from the aircraft heightened the sense of urgency, as they had no way of determining its altitude or exact position.