Lockerbie: A Search for Truth set for debut: What happened to Pan Am Flight 103 and how was Libya involved?
Sky Atlantic’s upcoming drama Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is set for debut on January 2 - so what is it about?
The five-part series revisits the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, one of the most devastating acts of terrorism on British soil, which killed 259 people aboard Pan Am Flight 103 and 11 residents on the ground in the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
The series stars Colin Firth as Dr Jim Swire, who became a prominent campaigner for victims’ families after losing his 24-year-old daughter, Flora, in the bombing. The narrative delves into Dr Swire’s long-standing belief that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the Libyan intelligence officer convicted of the attack in 2001, was wrongfully accused.
The show has drawn backlash for its portrayal of al-Megrahi, whose conviction remains highly contentious. Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, a spokesperson for the American-based campaign group Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, criticised the series, saying: “We feel they are amplifying and highlighting a false narrative about the bombing, a narrative that the great majority of us who lost loved ones do not align with and have fought very hard against.”
Critics have praised Colin Firth’s performance, though opinions on the series remain divided. The Telegraph awarded the show four stars, with Jasper Rees commending the “hard-working” script and Firth’s portrayal. However, some reviewers noted that the series leaves viewers uncertain “who and what to believe.”
The controversy is not limited to critics. Colin Firth reportedly sought reassurances from producers about the series’ impact. According to insiders, Firth wanted to ensure the drama would not mislead viewers or overshadow the gravity of the real-life tragedy.
What happened to Pan Am Flight 103?
Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb hidden in a Samsonite suitcase containing a Toshiba radio-cassette player. The plane exploded over Lockerbie on December 21, 1988, while en route from London to New York. The explosion scattered wreckage over 845 square miles, killing passengers, crew, and 11 residents of Sherwood Crescent, Lockerbie, in a fiery inferno caused by the fuel-laden wing section.
The victims hailed from 21 nations, with 190 Americans, including 35 Syracuse University students, among the dead.
How was Libya involved?
The atrocity is widely believed to have been carried out in retaliation for the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by a US missile cruiser earlier that year. Libya and Iran were allies, and some believe Libya carried out the bombing on Iran’s behalf.
The bomb was believed to have been placed in a Samsonite suitcase that originated from Malta, where al-Megrahi was stationed. Al-Megrahi was convicted in 2001 of 270 counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 and died in 2012 from prostate cancer.
Dr Swire and others believe al-Megrahi was a scapegoat, and new evidence presented in journalist John Ashton’s book Megrahi: You Are My Jury questioned key forensic findings. Meanwhile, another Libyan, Abu Agila Masud, accused of assembling the bomb, is set to stand trial in the US in 2025.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth release date
The series will air on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV starting January 2.