SHANKSVILLE, Pa., June 5 (UPI) -- The owner of a large part of the site where United Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania has angered victims' families by putting up a collection box.
Mike Svonavec claims to be spending $10,000 a month for security on his 273-acre parcel, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. But Patrick White, vice president of Families of Flight 93, told the newspaper Svonavec has a history of not dealing seriously with his group, the National Parks Service and others involved in a planned memorial.
Flight 93 was one of four planes hijacked by Mideast terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. Passengers had heard via cell phone of the planes that hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon and attempted to retake the plane, bringing it down in western Pennsylvania.
Svonavec says he is still willing to sell his land to the parks service.
"But quite a few years have passed and there's nothing close to an agreement reached," he said.
So far, the parks service has acquired only 57 acres of the proposed 1,100-acre national park. Officials say the entire parcel must be acquired by next year to complete the memorial by 2011.
