Aircraft hijacking is a criminal act that occurs when terrorists or criminals take control of an aircraft, usually by overwhelming the crew and passengers with threats or force Aircraft hijacking is one of the oldest forms of terrorism and has been used in numerous attacks throughout history, from political and ideological motives to economic and personal gain.
The first known aircraft hijacking occurred in Peru in 1931 when two brothers forced the pilot to fly them to Bolivia. In addition to this early incident, there were two more notable cases in the 1940s, both of which highlighted the criminal potential of aircraft hijacking. In 1948, a Colombian airliner was taken by revolutionaries demanding the release of a political prisoner, and in 1949 a Yugoslav airforce pilot hijacked a plane and forced the pilot to transport him to the United States.
Since then, aircraft hijacking has become an increasingly common tactic of terror and political extortion. While it is no longer as common as it once was, aircraft hijacking remains a real threat, as highlighted by the following five examples:
1. 1995: The Air France Flight 8969 Hijacking. On December 24, 1995, four members of the Armed Islamic Group hijacked the Air France Flight 8969 in an attempt to fly to France and carry out a series of terrorist attacks. The hijackers were eventually captured after a lengthy standoff between French security forces and the terrorists.
2. 1997: The Afghanistan Hijackings. In 1997, Taliban militants hijacked two flights in Afghanistan and demanded the release of five prisoners before allowing the planes to proceed. The hijackers were eventually persuaded to surrender after a lengthy negotiation process.
3. 2001: The September 11 Hijackings. The most infamous instance of aircraft hijacking occurred in September of 2001 when 19 men associated with the Al Qaeda terrorist network hijacked four commercial airliners in the United States. The hijackers flew the planes into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, resulting in the tragic deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
4. 2002: The Indian Airlines Flight 814 Standoff. The 814 flight was hijacked by a group of five men in 2002 and forced to fly to Afghanistan. The hijackers released all the passengers after eight days of negotiations, and the hijackers themselves were not arrested until later.
5. 2005: The Olympic Airways Flight 638 Hijacking. During the Olympic Airways Flight 638 in 2005, a single hijacker threatened to blow up the plane if the Greek government did not release two imprisoned terrorists. After a two-day standoff, the hijacker eventually surrendered and no one was harmed.
From these examples, it is clear that aircraft hijacking remains a serious concern, and countries must take precautions to ensure the safety of their citizens. Effective security measures and rigorous training of personnel is the best way to prevent aircraft hijacking and other acts of terrorism.