May 24, 1998 PIA Fokker hijacking

[Aftab PK786]

Asalamulkium,

Was just wondering if any one of you brothers remembers the incident below?

Military jet reportedly forced down plane with 38 aboard
May 24, 1998

HYDERABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Security forces surrounded a Pakistan International Airlines plane that reportedly had 29 people on board, as negotiators talk to a group of armed hijackers who commandeered the plane Sunday evening.

The twin-propeller Fokker Friendship aircraft, Flight 544, was headed from Turbat, in remote Baluchistan province near the Iranian border, to the coastal city of Karachi when hijackers took control.

H.S. Khola, India's director general of civil aviation, said the hijackers requested permission to enter Indian air space but were denied.

Before the plane could leave the country, a Pakistani air force fighter jet forced it to land in Hyderabad, about 90 miles (144 kilometers) from Karachi, at about 8:20 p.m. (1520 GMT), according to airport and government officials. There, it was surrounded by security forces, who parked vehicles in front of the plane to prevent it from leaving.

Negotiators boarded the plane, which was sitting with lights off and engines idle in 104-degree Fahrenheit (40-degree Celsius) heat.


The hijackers reportedly had both guns and grenades. From initial reports, it appeared that none of the passengers or crew members on board had been injured. Authorities indicated 24 passengers and five crew members were being detained, though the precise number remained unclear. At least two of the passengers were children.

There were conflicting reports as to the identity and the number of hijackers, ranging from three to five.

While the official Associated Press of Pakistan news agency said the hijackers were Indian nationals, government and intelligence sources told the Associated Press that they were Baluch tribesman from Baluchistan province in southwest Pakistan.

Tensions between Pakistan and India have soared over India's recent testing of five nuclear devices. The two countries have gone to war three times.

There have been several anti-government demonstrations in Baluchistan since reports surfaced last week that Pakistan may be preparing a site in Baluchistan for an underground nuclear test. Intelligence officials said the tribesmen who hijacked the plane were protesting those plans.

From the control tower in Hyderabad, there were reports that a crew member had been released with a list of demands. Pakistan Television reported that the men wanted fuel and safe passage to New Delhi.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9805/24/pakistan.pm/

[Abbas Ali]

The hijacking ended within 24 hours without any loss of life.

Here's photo of the hijacked aircraft surrounded by security forces at Hyderabad Airport:

Image Source www.bbcnews.com

Some info on this link: http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... -1&lang=en

[PALPA]

Capt. Uzair Khan was in command.

[Aftab PK786]

Asalamulkium,

Thank you brothers.