Date:	Wednesday 24 May 1972
Time:
Type:	Boeing 727-44
Owner/operator:	South African Airways - SAA
Registration:	ZS-SBE
MSN:	18896/184
Year of manufacture:	1965
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 55
Aircraft damage:	Unknown
Category:	UI
Location:	Blantyre-Chileka Airport (BLZ) -   Malawi
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Salisbury Airport (HRE/FVHA)
Destination airport:	Johannesburg International Airport (JNB/FAJS)

Narrative:
The aircraft was hijacked by two male passengers, carrying dynamite and a hand gun.
They were having a dispute over diamonds with Anglo American, a mining company and planned to hijack the aircraft that was supposed to be used by an Anglo American employee to fly back to Johannesburg. Since this person was not on board, they hijacked the flight to Blantyre, Malawi where they demanded a meeting with the Anglo American chairman.
During a stand-off during the night, Malawian troops had deflated the aircraft's tires and the majority of the passengers escaped with the help of the captain. They hijackers the surrendered.
They were jailed for two years on a charge of being in possession of an undeclared firearm on board an aircraft. After serving one year of their sentence, they were released.

Exclusive: SA's first hijacker talks to us (Dispatch, 1-5-2009)

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