Incident Overview
Date: Friday 7 September 1979
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62H
Owner/operator: Alitalia
Registration Number: I-DIWW
Location: Rome, Tehran –
ÿ Iran
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Unlawful Interference
On August 19, 1978, a commercial aircraft landed in Rome after a hijack incident. The aircraft was diverted to Tehran, Iran, where the hijackers surrendered after negotiations with Italian officials. The hijackers demanded a flight to Havana, Cuba, to appeal to the Nonaligned Movement Summit Conference for assistance in the return of a Lebanese-Iranian philosopher, Musa al-Sadr, who had disappeared in Libya.On August 19, 1978, a commercial aircraft landed in Rome after a hijack incident. The aircraft was diverted to Tehran, Iran, where the hijackers surrendered after negotiations with Italian officials. The hijackers demanded a flight to Havana, Cuba, to appeal to the Nonaligned Movement Summit Conference for assistance in the return of a Lebanese-Iranian philosopher, Musa al-Sadr, who had disappeared in Libya.
Description
While en route the hijackers took pistols out of a candy box and demanded to be flown to Havana, Cuba, so they could present an appeal to the Nonaligned Movement Summit Conference for help In securing the return of Musa al-Sadr, a Lebanese-Iranian philosopher and Shi’a religious leader, who disappeared while on a trip to Libya in August, 1978. They landed in Rome where after several hours of negotiation the passengers were released, a message to the conference was given to Italian officials, and the aircraft flew to Tehran, Iran. In Tehran, Iranian authorities agreed to read the hijackers’ reasons for the hijacking over national radio and television and the hijackers surrendered.
Primary Cause
Hijacking of a commercial aircraft.Hijacking of a commercial aircraft.Share on:
