TWA Flight 847 Hijacking - June 14, 1985

On June 14, 1985, Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 847 was hijacked by members of Hezbollah after departing from Athens, Greece. This crisis marked a significant moment in the history of international terrorism and airline security.

The Hijacking

• Flight Details: TWA Flight 847 was a Boeing 727 scheduled to fly from Cairo, Egypt, to San Diego, California, with stops in Athens, Rome, Boston, and Los Angeles.
• Attackers: The hijackers, identified as members of Hezbollah, were armed and boarded the plane disguised as ordinary passengers.
• Initial Takeover: Just after takeoff from Athens, the hijackers stormed the cockpit, overpowering the crew. They demanded the release of Shiite Muslims held in Israeli custody.
• Flight Path: Under duress, the flight was forced to change its destination multiple times. It first landed in Beirut, Lebanon, a country embroiled in civil war and lacking strong governmental control.
• Movement Across Airports: The aircraft shuttled between Algiers and Beirut multiple times as the hijackers negotiated with authorities and sought external political leverage.

Noteworthy Points

• Walter J. Stoessel: As the plane made its stops, U.S. officials, including then-Vice President George Bush and Middle East envoy Donald Rumsfeld, closely monitored and coordinated efforts to manage the crisis.
• Hostages: Initially holding 153 passengers and crew hostage, the hijackers released some upon landing in Algiers but retained others, specifically targeting Americans due to tensions involving U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
• Tragic Outcome: On June 15, the hijackers killed U.S. Navy diver Robert Stethem, further escalating the crisis and drawing international condemnation.

Ending the Crisis

• Resolution: The hostage ordeal lasted 17 days, with the hijackers releasing the last of the hostages on June 30, 1985, after complex negotiations involving various international parties.
• Negotiations: Mediation efforts primarily involved Syrian intervention, pressuring the hijackers through clandestine negotiations.

Aftermath and Significance

• Security Policies: The hijacking led to enhanced airport security measures worldwide and highlighted the vulnerability of air travel to politically motivated attacks.
• International Relations: It strained U.S.-Lebanon relations and underscored the necessity for a collaborative international approach to counter-terrorism.
• Legal Consequences: Some of the hijackers were later prosecuted as international efforts to combat terrorism intensified.

This incident underscored the geopolitical complexities of the Middle East during the 1980s, involving both local and global governance challenges and influencing the trajectory of international aviation security protocols.