Flight 93 families OK memorial acreage

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — The Families of Flight 93 has approved the National Park Service’s offer to buy three acres that the organization acquired in 2006 for the permanent Flight 93 National Memorial.

The organizations say it’s the park service’s first acquisition of land for the memorial. The family organization is partnering with the park service to purchase properties for the memorial.

The price hasn’t been disclosed. The deal should be completed in March. Construction of a $58 million memorial and national park is scheduled to begin by 2009.

Flight 93 was en route from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco when it crashed as passengers apparently tried to rush the cockpit of the hijacked airliner. All 33 passengers, seven crew members and the hijackers died.