Boeing 737-230C – D-ABCE

Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 13 October 1977

Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-230C

Owner/operator: Lufthansa

Registration Number: D-ABCE

Location: Mogadishu International Airport (MGQ) – ÿ Somalia

Phase of Flight: En route

Status: Minor, repaired

Casualties: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 95

Component Affected: Boeing 737 aircraft (specifically the flight and landing gear).Boeing 737 aircraft (specifically the flight and landing gear).

Category: Unlawful Interference

On October 13, 1977, a Lufthansa Boeing 737, en route from Palma de Mallorca to Frankfurt, was hijacked by four members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLO), calling themselves ‘Commando Martyr Halime’. The aircraft diverted to Rome for refueling and demanded the release of eleven Red Army Faction (RAF) terrorists detained in a German prison and $15 million. The hijackers then proceeded to land in Larnaca, Bahrain, and Dubai, establishing a series of denied landing clearances across the Arabian Peninsula. The plane ultimately landed in Oman, where it was denied landing, and changed course to Aden. The captain, facing a runway blockage and dwindling fuel, landed on a sand strip, and the captain was shot in the head. The hijackers, led by the captain, then fled to Mogadishu, Somalia, where the plane was refueled and the captain was killed. The RAF prisoners were instructed to be released by 14:30 UTC, and the hijackers demanded a protracted delay, extending the deadline to 00:30 UTC. German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt ordered a GSG 9 team to assemble in Dubai, and they flew to Mogadishu in a white-painted Luftwaffe Boeing 707. A Somali Ranger battalion secured the airfield, and a team of GSG 9 commandos stormed the aircraft at 23:05 UTC, resulting in the deaths of three terrorists, including a GSG 9 member and a flight attendant. The incident involved a complex sequence of events, including diverted flights, a complex series of demands, a prolonged delay, and ultimately, a violent confrontation.On October 13, 1977, a Lufthansa Boeing 737, en route from Palma de Mallorca to Frankfurt, was hijacked by four members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLO), calling themselves ‘Commando Martyr Halime’. The aircraft diverted to Rome for refueling and demanded the release of eleven Red Army Faction (RAF) terrorists detained in a German prison and $15 million. The hijackers then proceeded to land in Larnaca, Bahrain, and Dubai, establishing a series of denied landing clearances across the Arabian Peninsula. The plane ultimately landed in Oman, where it was denied landing, and changed course to Aden. The captain, facing a runway blockage and dwindling fuel, landed on a sand strip, and the captain was shot in the head. The hijackers, led by the captain, then fled to Mogadishu, Somalia, where the plane was refueled and the captain was killed. The RAF prisoners were instructed to be released by 14:30 UTC, and the hijackers demanded a protracted delay, extending the deadline to 00:30 UTC. German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt ordered a GSG 9 team to assemble in Dubai, and they flew to Mogadishu in a white-painted Luftwaffe Boeing 707. A Somali Ranger battalion secured the airfield, and a team of GSG 9 commandos stormed the aircraft at 23:05 UTC, resulting in the deaths of three terrorists, including a GSG 9 member and a flight attendant. The incident involved a complex sequence of events, including diverted flights, a complex series of demands, a prolonged delay, and ultimately, a violent confrontation.

Description

On October 13, 1977, Lufthansa flight LH181, a Boeing 737 flying from Palma de Mallorca (PMI) to Frankfurt (FRA) with 91 passengers and crew, was hijacked by four members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, calling themselves “Commando Martyr Halime”. The aircraft diverted to Rome for refueling. The hijackers demanded the release of eleven Red Army Faction (RAF) terrorists detained in a German prison, and US$15 million. The airplane, named “Landshut”, continued its journey, landing in Larnaca, Bahrain and Dubai, following a series of denied landing clearances in other airports across the Arabian Peninsula. Flight 181 then flew to Salalah, in Oman, where it was denied landing, and changed course to Aden. As the main runway was blocked by vehicles and the plane was running low on fuel, the captain had no choice but to land on a sand strip nearby. In order to verify the condition of the landing gear following the rough landing, he was allowed to temporarily leave the plane. However, the captain did not immediately return to the plane after the inspection, even after numerous attempts to recall him and a threat to blow up the plane on the ground. The reasons for this prolonged absence are unclear; however, some reports indicate that the captain asked the Yemeni authorities to inhibit the continuation of the flight and to respond to the terrorists’ demands. The captain returned to the airplane but he was shot in the head by one of the hijackers. The plane was refuelled and took off at 02:00 on the 17th, piloted by the co-pilot, with course towards the Somali capital of Mogadishu. On October 17, at around 03:30 UTC, the 737 landed in Mogadishu were the captain’s body was thrown on the tarmac, and an ultimatum was set for the RAF prisoners to be released by 14:30 UTC. After pouring the duty free spirits over the hostages in preparation for destroying the plane, the hijackers were told that prisoners were to be released and that the transfer to Mogadishu required several more hours, they extended the deadline to the next morning, 00:30 UTC. By order of German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, a team of GSG 9 commandos assembled in Dubai. The team flew to Mogadishu in a white-painted Luftwaffe Boeing 707. After a Somali Ranger battalion had secured the airfield, the team stormed the airliner at 23:05 UTC (October 18 locally). The Somalis had distracted the hijackers for a period with the airport lights, they then lit a petrol tanker in front of the plane. In the seven minute operation, three of the four terrorists were killed; a GSG 9 member and a flight attendant were injured.

Primary Cause

The hijacking was initiated by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, with the primary goal of releasing RAF terrorists and obtaining a significant financial reward.The hijacking was initiated by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, with the primary goal of releasing RAF terrorists and obtaining a significant financial reward.

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