Incident Overview
Date: Monday 9 September 2002
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-7Q8
Owner/operator: Air Seychelles
Registration Number: S7-SEZ
Location: Mahe Island-Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) –
ÿ Seychelles
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 72
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Unlawful Interference
A man on board a flight from Mumbai to Male attempted to seize the aircraft by holding a knife near a cabin crew member, demanding a diversion to an eastern European state. The crew successfully subdued him, and he was handed over to security authorities at Male International Airport. However, the knife remained undetected, concealed within a box containing bead garland used for prayers.A man on board a flight from Mumbai to Male attempted to seize the aircraft by holding a knife near a cabin crew member, demanding a diversion to an eastern European state. The crew successfully subdued him, and he was handed over to security authorities at Male International Airport. However, the knife remained undetected, concealed within a box containing bead garland used for prayers.
Description
During a flight from Mumbai (Bombay) to Male, a man armed with an eight-inch knife/razor blade attempted to seize the aircraft by holding the knife next to the throat of a female cabin crew member and demanded that the flight be diverted to an eastern European State. The crew members managed to overpower the perpetrator and he was handed over to the security authorities at Male International Airport. The perpetrator passed through security and certain prohibited items were detected and removed, but the knife went undetected. It was apparently concealed in a box containing bead garland used for saying prayers.
Primary Cause
Attempted kidnapping and seizure of aircraft.Attempted kidnapping and seizure of aircraft.Share on:
