Lockerbie: A Search for Truth official trailer
Sky's gripping new five-part series will chart the relentless pursuit of justice by Dr Jim Swire (portrayed by Colin Firth), whose daughter was among the 259 passengers and crew tragically killed on Pan Am Flight 103.
The chilling geopolitical thriller is rooted in the horrifying real-life events of 1988. Here's your comprehensive guide to one of history's most devastating air disasters.
What is the true story behind Lockerbie: A Search for the Truth?
On the fateful day of December 21, 1988, just 38 minutes after take-off, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, claiming the lives of all 259 passengers and crew on board. As the wreckage rained down, 11 unsuspecting residents of the small Scottish town were also killed.
Pan Am Flight 103 was a routine flight from Frankfurt to Detroit, with stopovers in London and New York City. The aircraft was in transit when a bomb detonated, marking it as the deadliest terror attack in UK history.
A three-year probe was initiated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary in collaboration with the FBI. In 1991, arrest warrants were issued for two Libyan nationals.
It wasn't until a decade later, in 2001, that former Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was found guilty of the murders of all 270 victims of the bombing.
He remains the only individual ever convicted for the atrocity. He passed away in 2012 after being released from prison on compassionate grounds following a cancer diagnosis.
Who is Dr Jim Swire?
The documentary series is told from the perspective of Dr Swire, the appointed representative for the UK families affected by the tragedy.
Dr Swire has tirelessly sought justice for his daughter, Flora, as well as other bereaved families, traversing continents and navigating complex politics in the process.
Since the Lockerbie disaster, Jim has devoted himself to uncovering the truth behind the events and identifying those responsible for his daughter's passing.
Dr Jim Swire shared his thoughts on the documentary series, stating: "It is an extraordinary development in a campaign which, up until now, had been seeming that it would die away except for the work of future historians who I thought would eventually uncover the real truth and promote it."
He highlighted the contrast between the simple, personal aspect of the tragedy - a family seeking answers about their daughter's murder - and the broader implications.
When asked about his personal opinion of the series, Dr Swire said: "The thing that mattered was that it seemed to be that it was an honest representation of what the UK family group had tried to do, and the small amount that we've managed to achieve as private individuals, which has been enough to show us just how vulnerable the official version is to proper probing and what really lies behind this terrible atrocity."
