Harrison , aged 22 , was a flight attendant on board BOAC Flight 712 when it left Heathrow Airport at 16.27 BST on 8 April 1968 , bound indirectly for Sydney . The citation for Harrison 's George Cross recites what happened almost immediately after takeoff : According to witnesses , after the escape chute had been burnt away Harrison continued to force passengers to safety by pushing them out the door , even as " flames and smoke were licking around her face " . She then seemed to be preparing to jump but instead turned back inside ; there was another explosion and she was not seen alive again . Her body was found with four others near the rear door ; all had died from asphyxia
BOAC Flight 712
BOAC Flight 712
Barbara Jane Harrison