New York crash is 'dreadful irony' for former Beatle

9.00 am

LONDON - Paul McCartney saw tragedy unfold before him in New York this morning for the second time in two months and vowed: "We have got to get behind America. We have got to help America."

Ironically the former Beatle had just flown into New York to raise funds for the September 11 hijack attack victims when he witnessed the aftermath of the American Airlines crash.

McCartney, accompanied by his fiancee Heather Mills, was aboard the supersonic airliner Concorde which landed in New York just before JFK airport was closed.

"As Concorde was landing, the crash had just happened," McCartney told his press spokesman after landing.

"I looked out of the left-hand side of the plane and there was smoke all over the place," he told spokesman Geoff Baker in a phone call from New York.

"It was a horrendous and tragic irony trying to raise money for the victims of the last crashes and then something dreadful was happening all over again," McCartney said.

McCartney said the customs hall on arrival was practically deserted and the FBI gave him an escort to get out of the airport.

History was eerily repeating itself for the Beatle composer.

On September 11, McCartney was on the tarmac at JFK waiting for take-off when suicide hijackers crashed two planes into the towers of the World Trade Center.

"I was sitting on a plane at New York airport and watched it unfold through the windows. It will live with me forever," said McCartney, who then wrote the song Freedom to boost relief funds for the victims.

Today he returned to New York to promote the record with a string of radio interviews.

And he refused to be bowed by the latest tragedy. "That is why I wrote Freedom and that is why I am going to keep pushing it. I will not stop," he said.

McCartney premiered Freedom -- a Let It Be-style anthem -- at a Madison Square Garden charity concert of rock 'n' roll greats last month.

He had been moved to write the song the day after the World Trade Center attacks.

- REUTERS

* The New Zealand Herald will publish a special edition today with updated coverage of the New York city plane crash. This special edition will be on sale in Auckland and main provincial cities at midday.

Map of crash area

American Airlines information (from within NZ):
0168 1 800 245 0999