TWA Flight 847 Hijacking
TWA Flight 847 was a commercial flight operated by Trans World Airlines (TWA) that was hijacked on June 14, 1985. Here are the key details:
Incident Overview
- Date: June 14, 1985
- Aircraft: Boeing 727-231, registration number N64339
- Route: From Athens, Greece to Rome, Italy, then to Boston, Massachusetts, with a stopover in Beirut, Lebanon.
- Hijackers: Two members of the militant group Hezbollah, identified as Mohammed Ali Hamadei and Hasan Izz-al-Din.
Hijacking Events
- Shortly after takeoff from Athens, the hijackers seized control of the aircraft, armed with grenades and firearms.
- The plane was forced to land at Beirut International Airport, where 19 passengers were released. The hijackers demanded the release of 700 Shia Muslims imprisoned by Israel.
- After refueling, the plane was flown back to Algiers, where more passengers were released. The plane then returned to Beirut.
- During the ordeal, the hijackers identified and killed a U.S. Navy diver, Robert Stethem, and threw his body onto the tarmac in Beirut.
- Over the next few days, the plane made several trips between Algiers and Beirut, with the hijackers negotiating for their demands.
Resolution
- The hijacking ended on June 30, 1985, after 17 days, when the remaining hostages were released in exchange for the release of 766 prisoners held by Israel.
- The hijackers escaped, but one, Mohammed Ali Hamadei, was later captured in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1987 and extradited to the United States.
Aftermath
- The hijacking led to increased security measures at airports worldwide, particularly focusing on passenger screening and baggage checks.
- It brought international attention to the issue of terrorism and hostage-taking, influencing U.S. and European foreign policy regarding Middle Eastern conflicts.
- Robert Stethem was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
- The incident prompted a review and changes in airline security protocols, especially regarding the identification and handling of potential hijackers.
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