Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 21 December 1978
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9
Owner/operator: Trans World Airlines – TWA
Location: Marion, IL –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 89
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Unlawful Interference
A 17-year-old female passenger hijacked a flight, claiming to possess a bomb. She surrendered after the aircraft was diverted to Marion, Illinois, and the bomb turned out to be railroad flares wired to a doorbell. The incident appears to be linked to a prior relationship between her mother and a convicted felon, who attempted to hijack a helicopter to help him escape prison. The passenger?s motive was reportedly to release this individual.A 17-year-old female passenger hijacked a flight, claiming to possess a bomb. She surrendered after the aircraft was diverted to Marion, Illinois, and the bomb turned out to be railroad flares wired to a doorbell. The incident appears to be linked to a prior relationship between her mother and a convicted felon, who attempted to hijack a helicopter to help him escape prison. The passenger?s motive was reportedly to release this individual.
Description
A 17-year old female passenger hijacked the flight, while holding what she claimed was a bomb. She surrendered after the aircraft diverted to Marion, Illinois. The bomb appeared to be railroad flares wired to a doorbell. Apparently she wanted the release of a convicted felon who had a relationship with her mother. The mother had been shot and killed in May 1978 when attempting to hijack a helicopter in order to help the convict escape from prison.
Source of Information
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PHBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zoIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4480%2C2385241https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PHBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zoIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4480%2C2385241Primary Cause
Hijacking of a flight with the intent to carry a bomb.Hijacking of a flight with the intent to carry a bomb.Share on:
