Narrative:The aircraft had been airborne about forty minutes after takeoff from San Juan, Puerto Rico when a hijacker went into a forward restroom with an athletic bag and emerged a short time later and handed two notes written in Spanish to a flight attendant. The notes indicated that he wanted the aircraft diverted to Cuba or he would blow it up. He displayed a black handgun which was later determined to be a toy pistol, a small bottle containing a clear liquid, and a bundle of sticks alleged to be explosives. Reportedly, he splashed liquid around the cabin and threatened to ignite it. When the captain was advised of the situation he diverted the aircraft to Havana, Cuba. After the landing at Havana, Cuban authorities boarded the aircraft and took the hijacker and his possessions into custody.
Classification:
Hijack
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from San Juan-Isla Verde International Airport to Miami International Airport, FL as the crow flies is 1672 km (1045 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.