Mary Dohey
Encyclopedia
Mary Dohey, CV
was a Canadian
flight attendant
who was awarded the Cross of Valour
, Canada's highest award for bravery, for her conduct during the hijacking
of a commercial DC-8 aircraft in 1971.
At the risk of losing her life, Dohey declined an offer of safe conduct from an Air Canada
DC8 to remain with her fellow crew members and pacify hijacker
Paul Cini, on a flight from Calgary
, Alberta
on November 12, 1971. During eight hours of terror, the hijacker, with a black hood over his head and armed with a shotgun and two bundles of dynamite
, threatened to take the lives of the crew and all the passengers on board the airplane. Although continually threatened with the gun, Miss Dohey spoke gently to the aggressor and succeeded in discouraging him from undertaking violent measures which would have cost many innocent lives. When the aircraft was diverted and landed in Great Falls, Montana
, she was able to persuade the hijacker to allow all the passengers and part of the crew, including herself, to disembark. With absolutely no assurance that she would come out of the ordeal alive and because of her concern for the welfare of the remaining crew members, Mary Dohey turned down the offer of release and continued to appease the hijacker until the drama was brought to an end.
Because of the courage she displayed during the hijacking, Dohey was awarded the Cross of Valour in 1976.
She was from St. Bride's, Newfoundland.
There is a merit award named in her honour, administered by the Friends of Cape St. Mary.http://www.friendsofcapestmarys.ca/Mary_Dohey.htm
Cross of Valour (Canada)
The Cross of Valour is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award , the highest honour available for Canadian civilians, and the highest of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations...
was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
who was awarded the Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour (Canada)
The Cross of Valour is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest award , the highest honour available for Canadian civilians, and the highest of the three Canadian Bravery Decorations...
, Canada's highest award for bravery, for her conduct during the hijacking
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
of a commercial DC-8 aircraft in 1971.
At the risk of losing her life, Dohey declined an offer of safe conduct from an Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
DC8 to remain with her fellow crew members and pacify hijacker
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
Paul Cini, on a flight from Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
on November 12, 1971. During eight hours of terror, the hijacker, with a black hood over his head and armed with a shotgun and two bundles of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
, threatened to take the lives of the crew and all the passengers on board the airplane. Although continually threatened with the gun, Miss Dohey spoke gently to the aggressor and succeeded in discouraging him from undertaking violent measures which would have cost many innocent lives. When the aircraft was diverted and landed in Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
, she was able to persuade the hijacker to allow all the passengers and part of the crew, including herself, to disembark. With absolutely no assurance that she would come out of the ordeal alive and because of her concern for the welfare of the remaining crew members, Mary Dohey turned down the offer of release and continued to appease the hijacker until the drama was brought to an end.
Because of the courage she displayed during the hijacking, Dohey was awarded the Cross of Valour in 1976.
She was from St. Bride's, Newfoundland.
There is a merit award named in her honour, administered by the Friends of Cape St. Mary.http://www.friendsofcapestmarys.ca/Mary_Dohey.htm