Diverted 2009

On September 11, 2001, as information seeps out about the 9/11 attacks on the US, the FAA directs all remaining aircraft in the air to nearby airports, clearing the skies. A total of 38 transatlantic flights at or near their point of no return are diverted to the nearest airport in Gander, Newfoundland. The anxious passengers leaving on business and vacation trips have no idea why their flights are being sent to this remote town. Wild rumours spread as a British airliner’s crew explains that a terrorist attack has occurred in the United States.

Personal stories emerge, with Mike Stiven, Shawn Ashmore, the air traffic controller at Gander, meeting and falling in love with Alia Ramaswami, Anita Majumdar, a woman on one of the diverted airliners. Like many other passengers, Samuel Stearn, David Suchet, a New Yorker, is desperate to contact his son who was in the World Trade Center. Marion Price, Joanne Whalley, and Andrew Tyler, Colin Buchanan, are other passengers who are brought together by their shared experiences.

The town of Gander mobilizes in Operation Yellow Ribbon to welcome the stranded passengers and crews, providing meals, shelter, and a sense of community for all. The story follows the emotional journeys of families, couples, and strangers who forge new bonds, offering moments of humor, fear, and hope amid uncertainty. As days turn into weeks, the generosity of the Canadian hosts transforms a crisis into a profound reminder of human connection. Even years later, the ties between the European and American travelers and their hosts in Canada remain strong, echoed in lasting friendships and memories that outlast the headlines of that day.