Incident Overview
Date: Friday 5 May 1972
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-200
Owner/operator: Western Air Lines
Location: Havana-Jos Mart¡ International Airport (HAV) –
ÿ Cuba
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 81
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Unlawful Interference
A 21-year-old man hijacked a Boeing 737 at Los Angeles, demanding transport to North Vietnam and then Cuba. He secured the aircraft with a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol and transported the passengers to Tampa for a refueling stop. The plane then departed for Havana, Cuba.A 21-year-old man hijacked a Boeing 737 at Los Angeles, demanding transport to North Vietnam and then Cuba. He secured the aircraft with a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol and transported the passengers to Tampa for a refueling stop. The plane then departed for Havana, Cuba.
Description
Western Fight 407 was hijacked by a 21-year old man carrying a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol. He demanded to be taken to North Vietnam. After landing at Los Angeles, he ordered to be flown to Cuba. Eleven passengers were released. The plane then continued to Tampa for a refueling stop. After 50 minutes on the ground at Tampa, the 737 departed for Havana, Cuba. The hijacker carried the gun in a hollowed out book.
Primary Cause
Hijacking of a commercial aircraft.Hijacking of a commercial aircraft.Share on:
