Narrative:An unarmed individual hijacked a Colombian airliner on a domestic flight. Intercontinental de Aviacion Flight 217, a DC-9 aircraft, was on its scheduled route from Arauca to Bogota when, ten minutes into the flight, the lone hijacker announced his intentions to his fellow passengers and entered the flight cabin. The plane landed without incident at Eldorado Airport in Bogota and was surrounded by security personnel. The hijacker, whose apparent only demand was to speak with President César Gaviria, was overpowered by one of the bodyguards of a congressman aboard the plane and placed under arrest. None of the reported 81 persons aboard was injured.
Classification:
Hijack
Sources:
» Criminal Acts Against Civil Aviation 1993 / U.S. Department of Transport, FAA, Office of Civil Aviation Security
»
El Tiempo 19 April 1993
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 Arauca-Santiago Pérez Airport to Bogotá-Eldorado Airport as the crow flies is 458 km (286 miles).
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.