Memorial service marks 19th anniversary of Flight 587 crash in Queens
BELLE HARBOR, Queens (WABC) -- A memorial service was held Thursday morning to pay tribute to the victims of Flight 587 which crashed 19 years ago.
The service will be held at 116th Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard.
Bells rang at 9:15 a.m., marking the moment of impact which occurred shortly after the plane took off from Kennedy Airport on Nov. 12, 2001.
All 260 people on board the flight heading to the Dominican Republic were killed, as well as five people on the ground.
Last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio gave an emotional speech at the memorial service.
"If there is comfort to be found, it is in each other," de Blasio said. "Families uniting to support each other and this community of people brought together in tragedy ... but you have built something together, a very special community of love and warmth that supports each other. And not just one day, but throughout the year."
Investigators said the plane's rudder system and inadequate pilot training caused the crash.
Since the accident, steering systems for some planes have been re-designed.
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