Incident Overview
Date: Tuesday 16 October 1979
Aircraft Type: Fokker F-27 Friendship 600
Owner/operator: Libyan Arab Airlines
Registration Number: 5A-DDU
Location: Malta-Luqa Airport (MLA) –
ÿ Malta
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Unlawful Interference
On October 17, three Syrian male hijackers commandeered an aircraft, demanding to be flown to Switzerland. After being promised a press conference, they surrendered in Malta, agreeing to land there. The hijackers cited unsettled financial problems and a desire to leave Libya by hijacking an aircraft due to lacking passports as the reason for their actions.On October 17, three Syrian male hijackers commandeered an aircraft, demanding to be flown to Switzerland. After being promised a press conference, they surrendered in Malta, agreeing to land there. The hijackers cited unsettled financial problems and a desire to leave Libya by hijacking an aircraft due to lacking passports as the reason for their actions.
Description
Using a homemade gasoline bomb and knives, three Syrian male hijackers commandeered the aircraft. They demanded to be flown to Switzerland but later agreed to land in Malta where they surrendered after being promised a press conference. During the press conference on October 17, they stated the hijacking was done to express anger about unsettled financial problems and they chose to leave Libya by hijacking an aircraft because they did not have passports.
Primary Cause
Financial instability and lack of passport requirements.Financial instability and lack of passport requirements.Share on:
