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How to thwart a gunman at 29,000 feet, by the only pilot who ever did
Great story of an El Al pilot thwarting not just a hijacking in 1970 but all the bureaucratic/diplomatic complications of returning to London with a dead Muslim on board. (www.timesofisrael.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Not the ONLY hijacking thwarted in air. Eastern Air Lines Shuttle early 1960's. Captain Robert Wilbur after being shot in both arms, took the gun away from the hijacker and continued to hit the man and fly the plane back to BOS. The copilot had been killed and no one came forward to help Captain Wilbur, the real hero.
Rick is correct about Eastern also having such a hijacking. Copilot Jim Hartley was murdered by the hijacker after which time Bob Wilbur overcame the hijacker and returned for a landing at Boston.
Fortunately they had a gun in the cockpit, or all would be dead. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Air_Lines_Shuttle_Flight_1320
May want to read that report a little closer.. The FO was shot without warning, then the capt was shot in the arm. After that the captain was able to take the gun from the gunman. "Hartley recovered sufficiently to rip the gun from Divivo's hand, and shoot the would-be hijacker three times...", "Divivo arose and began clawing at Captain Wilbur, attempting to force a crash. Wilbur hit Divivo over the head with the gun he had retrieved from the center console". The gun in the center console was the one taken from the HiJacker in the first place.
A great story if you are looking at it from a pure hijacking perspective that was thwarted.
But, to sensationalize it by saying the aircraft returned to London "with a dead Muslim on board," only serves to generate more hate to those people. The hijacker operating on behalf of the PFLP, was a Honduran with American citizenship, not a Muslim...
IRRESPONSIBLE!!!
But, to sensationalize it by saying the aircraft returned to London "with a dead Muslim on board," only serves to generate more hate to those people. The hijacker operating on behalf of the PFLP, was a Honduran with American citizenship, not a Muslim...
IRRESPONSIBLE!!!
You have to remember this came from an 80+ year old Isralei who could have cared less. They live it first hand in that part of the world and aren't concerned about being PC. As with any group, they have a stated aim and purpose and it may be peaceful, but their radical arm is what is taking control or at least making the news right now and it is that news that people base their judgment of the whole thing. It is just like the PLO, they may talk peace, but the Hamas arm is the one they can't control and that is firing the rockets.
I don't think it was him, it was whoever was doing the reporting. I think he did a good job...