DB Cooper: The Unsolved Case of the Airplane Hijacker
Background:
On November 24, 1971, a man known as “DB Cooper” boarded a Northwest Airlines Flight 305 from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington, with a ticket purchased under the name Dan Cooper. During the flight, he passed a note to a flight attendant claiming he had a bomb and demanded $200,000 in cash and four parachutes.
The Hijacking:
The plane landed in Seattle, where Cooper collected his ransom and parachutes. He then ordered the passengers to leave and directed the crew to fly to Mexico City. Somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, Cooper parachuted out of the plane and disappeared into the darkness.
Investigation and Suspects:
An extensive investigation was launched, but Cooper’s true identity and whereabouts have never been determined. Several suspects have emerged over the years, but none have been definitively linked to the crime.
FBI Timeline:
- 1971: FBI establishes a task force to investigate the hijacking.
- 1972: The FBI releases a composite sketch of Cooper based on witness accounts.
- 1977: The FBI conducts a soil analysis on a potential landing site based on a map found in Cooper’s abandoned wallet.
- 1978: The FBI announces a $200,000 reward for information leading to Cooper’s arrest.
- 1980: The FBI releases a new composite sketch, but it fails to generate any leads.
- 1991: The FBI identifies a possible suspect, but DNA evidence later rules him out.
- 1995: The FBI releases a new age-progressed composite sketch.
- 2007: The FBI announces the recovery of a $20 bill from a bank in British Columbia that was part of Cooper’s ransom money.
- 2016: The FBI releases a new timeline of the events surrounding the hijacking.
Current Status:
Despite decades of investigation and extensive public interest, the case of DB Cooper remains unsolved. The FBI continues to receive occasional tips and leads, but no significant breakthroughs have been made. The hijacking and Cooper’s subsequent disappearance have become a source of fascination and speculation, spawning books, documentaries, and even a television series.
Why “DB Cooper” is Rapidly Rising on Google Trends US-GA:
- Fifty-year anniversary: November 24, 2021, marked the 50th anniversary of the hijacking.
- New evidence: The recent recovery of a $20 bill from Cooper’s ransom money has reignited interest in the case.
- Netflix documentary: The release of the Netflix documentary “DB Cooper: Where Are You?!” in July 2022 has brought the story back into the public eye.
- Local interest: The hijacking took place in the Pacific Northwest, and there is ongoing interest in the case within the region.
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Please search for “db cooper” which is rapidly rising on Google Trends US-GA and explain in detail. Answers should be in English.
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