Sky’s upcoming five-part series will chronicle the relentless pursuit of justice by Dr Jim Swire (portrayed by Colin Firth), whose daughter was among the 259 passengers and crew tragically killed on Pan Am Flight 103.
This gripping geopolitical thriller is rooted in the harrowing real-life events of 1988, marking one of history’s most devastating air disasters. Here’s what you need to know about the true story behind Lockerbie: A Search for the Truth.
What happened on Pan Am Flight 103?
On December 21, 1988, a mere 38 minutes after take-off, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, claiming the lives of all 259 passengers and crew on board. The falling wreckage also killed 11 residents of the small Scottish town below.
Pan Am Flight 103 was a routine flight from Frankfurt to Detroit, with stopovers in London and New York City. The aircraft was in transit when a bomb detonated, resulting in the deadliest terrorist attack in UK history.
Dr Swire became the nominated spokesperson for the UK victim’s families
A three-year investigation ensued, led by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary in collaboration with the FBI. In 1991, arrest warrants were issued for two Libyan nationals, reports the Daily Record.
It wasn’t until a decade later, in 2001, that former Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted for the murders of all 270 victims of the bombing. He remains the only person ever convicted for the attack.
Al-Megrahi passed away in 2012, having been released from prison on compassionate grounds due to a cancer diagnosis.
Who is Dr Jim Swire?
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth provides an intimate account of a man, a husband, and a father who risks everything in memory of his daughter and the unflinching pursuit of truth and justice.
The Sky series intimately chronicles Dr Swire’s relentless quest for the truth as the voice for the UK families bereaved by the Lockerbie bombing. Crossing continents and political barriers, he sought justice not only for the tragic loss of his daughter Flora but also for all the families who suffered in the disaster.
Jim has been unwavering in his pursuit of the facts surrounding the devastating event that claimed his daughter’s life since the dreadful day of the Lockerbie tragedy.
Asked for his thoughts on Lockerbie: A Search for the Truth ahead of its release, Jim remarked: “It is an extraordinary development in a campaign which, up until now, had been seeming that it would die away except for the work of future historians who I thought would eventually uncover the real truth and promote it.”
On 21st December 1988, 259 passengers and crew were killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie 38 minutes after take-off, with a further 11 residents losing their life as the plane came down over the quiet, Scottish town.
Highlighting the deeply personal nature of their quest, he explained: “You can see the juxtaposition there between, what for us, is still a very simple family affair we want to know who murdered our eldest daughter, as simple as that.”
In response to inquiries about his view of the series, Dr Swire went on to say: “The thing that mattered was that it seemed to be that it was an honest representation of what the UK family group had tried to do, and the small amount that we’ve managed to achieve as private individuals, which has been enough to show us just how vulnerable the official version is to proper probing and what really lies behind this terrible atrocity.”