Salem bin Laden
Encyclopedia
Salem bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (1946–May 29, 1988) was a Saudi Arabia
n investor and businessman.
, the founder of Saudi Binladin Group and a half-brother and cousin of the infamous terrorist (Osama bin Laden
). Bin Laden was educated at Millfield
and acted as the patriarch of the bin Laden family
after the 1967 death of his father. Salem managed the family's extensive investment portfolio (thought to be valued at around $16 billion) and was in charge of family income distribution. He also oversaw the individual education plans for each of his (half-) brothers and (half-) sisters. Just like his father, he highly valued close relationship of the bin Ladens with the Saudi royal family. He provided means and support to the family during the Mecca uprising of 1979
.
He owned a house in Orlando, Florida
and often used it for vacation stays.
, a northeastern San Antonio suburb. The Sprint ultralight aircraft
he was flying fell 115 feet to the ground after the wire strike. Salem, who was not wearing a safety helmet, died of head injuries from the resulting fall. The National Transportation Safety Board
did not conduct an accident investigation since the aircraft was an ultralight aircraft, which was not covered under their mandate due to exemption while operating under FAR
Part 103 Provisions required by Federal law. The Schertz Police, who attended to the incident, stated in the report that Salem died in a freak accident.
This was the second plane crash-related death in the Bin Laden family
, as Salem's father Mohammed bin Laden
was also killed in a plane crash in 1967.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n investor and businessman.
Life
Considered the eldest son of Mohammed bin LadenMohammed bin Laden
Sheikh Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was a wealthy investor, businessman, and patriarch of the bin Laden family. He was a Yemeni emmigrant to Saudi Arabia, and married 22 times, fathering at least 54 children...
, the founder of Saudi Binladin Group and a half-brother and cousin of the infamous terrorist (Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
). Bin Laden was educated at Millfield
Millfield
Millfield is an independent school in Street in Somerset, in south-west England.The school currently has a roll of 1,260 pupils, of whom 910 are boarders...
and acted as the patriarch of the bin Laden family
Bin Laden family
The bin Laden family , also spelled bin Ladin, is a wealthy family intimately connected with the innermost circles of the Saudi royal family. The family was thrown into media spotlight through the activities of one of its members, Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 attacks...
after the 1967 death of his father. Salem managed the family's extensive investment portfolio (thought to be valued at around $16 billion) and was in charge of family income distribution. He also oversaw the individual education plans for each of his (half-) brothers and (half-) sisters. Just like his father, he highly valued close relationship of the bin Ladens with the Saudi royal family. He provided means and support to the family during the Mecca uprising of 1979
Grand Mosque Seizure
The Grand Mosque Seizure on November 20, 1979, was an armed attack and takeover by Islamist dissidents of the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest place in Islam...
.
He owned a house in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and often used it for vacation stays.
Death
Salem bin Laden died on May 29, 1988 when he accidentally drifted into high voltage electrical power lines adjacent to the Kitty Hawk Field of Dreams Ultra-Lite Flying Field at the edge of SchertzSchertz, Texas
Schertz is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population was 31,465 at the 2010 census.On July 16, 2007 CNNMoney.com rated Schertz one of the best places to live in the United States...
, a northeastern San Antonio suburb. The Sprint ultralight aircraft
Ultralight aircraft (United States)
Ultralight aircraft in the United States are much smaller and lighter than ultralight aircraft in all other countries.In the USA ultralights are classified as vehicles and not aircraft and are thus not required to be registered or for the pilot to have a pilot licence or certificate.- US definition...
he was flying fell 115 feet to the ground after the wire strike. Salem, who was not wearing a safety helmet, died of head injuries from the resulting fall. The National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
did not conduct an accident investigation since the aircraft was an ultralight aircraft, which was not covered under their mandate due to exemption while operating under FAR
Federal Aviation Regulations
The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...
Part 103 Provisions required by Federal law. The Schertz Police, who attended to the incident, stated in the report that Salem died in a freak accident.
This was the second plane crash-related death in the Bin Laden family
Bin Laden family
The bin Laden family , also spelled bin Ladin, is a wealthy family intimately connected with the innermost circles of the Saudi royal family. The family was thrown into media spotlight through the activities of one of its members, Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 attacks...
, as Salem's father Mohammed bin Laden
Mohammed bin Laden
Sheikh Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was a wealthy investor, businessman, and patriarch of the bin Laden family. He was a Yemeni emmigrant to Saudi Arabia, and married 22 times, fathering at least 54 children...
was also killed in a plane crash in 1967.