Date: | Tuesday 19 May 1987 |
Time: | |
Type: | Boeing 747-219B |
Owner/operator: | Air New Zealand |
Registration: | |
MSN: | |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 129 |
Aircraft damage: | None |
Category: | UI |
Location: | Nadi International Airport (NAN) -
Fiji
|
Phase: | Standing |
Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
Departure airport: | Nadi International Airport (NAN/NFFN) |
Destination airport: | Auckland International Airport (AKL/NZAA) |
Narrative:Air New Zealand Flight 24, a Boeing 747, was undergoing a pre-flight check by its crew when an airline customer services supervisor entered the cockpit and threatened the crew with explosives. He demanded the aircraft take on extra fuel and ordered that it be flown to Libya, although other reports suggest he wanted to go to New Zealand. All passengers were released but he held the three flight crew members for nearly six hours while he negotiated with authorities. The hijacker was overpowered and taken into custody after one of the crew struck him on the head with a whiskey bottle. The hijacking attempt was apparently related to a political coup on Fiji one week earlier.
Sources:
Criminal Acts Against Civil Aviation 1987 / U.S. Department of Transport, FAA, Office of Civil Aviation Security
Gainesville Sun - May 19, 1987 Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |