AP-ALW - PIA Fokker F27 - CEO Attacked Hijacker - Most Insane - MSN 10187
Friends, today I am going to tell you about an event
that sounds like an absolute action scene from a thriller.
But trust me, this event is one of the most bizarre and
underrated incident of aviation history.
In today’s Vlog, my subject aircraft is a Fokker F27 aircraft
having MSN 10187 and it was built in 1961.
It became a part of PIA’s fleet on October 19, 1961.
Let me tell you that Fokker is a small single aisle aircraft
with a capacity of about 44 passengers.
It is a basic passenger with two turbo-propeller engines.
PIA used to operate this aircraft on its domestic routes only.
Then came a morning which could be a nightmare for any
pilot, passenger or even a nation.
That morning came on 20th January 1978.
Flight # PK 543 took off from Sukkur at 09:45 AM and was
heading to Karachi.
There were 42 occupants in the flight including 36 passengers.
Soon after the breakfast service, a man stood up
from his seat and ragged into the cockpit.
He was holding a Point Blank revolver and
was carrying a dynamite stick.
He was the sole hijacker on the flight.
After entering the cockpit he commanded the pilot
to divert the aircraft to India.
It has been a norm in the hijacking events of Indian Subcontinent
that whenever an aircraft is hijacked in Pakistan, a hijacker’s
preference is to divert it to India.
Similarly, when an aircraft is hijacked in India,
a hijacker feels Pakistan as its safe heaven.
Anyways, Captain Khaldoon informed the hijacker that
the aircraft doesn’t have enough fuel to divert to India
and the only destination they could reach is Karachi.
Airport authorities at Karachi were informed of the
hijacking of flight PK 543.
At 10:55 am, the aircraft landed at Karachi airport.
The aircraft was taxied to was parked at Bay# 17
of the apron, away from the terminal building.
Security forces surrounded the aircraft.
Now came the time to negotiate with the hijacker,
and the first man who communicated with him was
the Chairman of PIA Mr. Nur Khan himself.
He walked to the aircraft and the hijacker engaged
in a communication with him through the cockpit window.
Usually, hijackings involve terrorist organizations who
ask for money and may demand release of prisoners.
But here was a different story.
Hijacker told the Chairman that he is a cancer patient
and he wants 10 million Pakistani rupees and
1 million US dollars in cash for the release of hostages,
so that he could enjoy his last days of life.
In response to the hijacker’s demands the Chairman
started playing mind games with him.
He told him that if he surrenders, the airlines could
bear charges of his treatment abroad.
He further requested the hijacker to release all
passengers and crew and take him as a hostage
in their place.
Hijacker rejected both the offers.
Later he gave a deadline of 3 pm for the fulfilment
of his demands and threatened to blow the aircraft
if his demands are not met.
The authorities informed the hijacker that it was
Friday which was a weekly off in Pakistan and
the banks were closed.
Under such circumstances it was not possible to
arrange this hefty sum of money.
Negotiations continued and in the evening the hijacker
allowed water and food to be served to the passengers.
In the night, the hijacker even released 15 passengers
out of which 14 were women and children and one
was the airhostess.
It was almost midnight and the hijacker again asked the
authorities that he wanted to discuss his demands
with some important government official.
Again, Chairman Nur Khan accompanied with an
army officer went up to the aircraft.
At around 12 am, the hijacker allowed Nur Khan to
enter the aircraft after Chairman insisted to negotiate
face to face.
Negotiations were underway and almost 50 minutes
passed away when Nur Khan found an opportunity
and attacked the hijacker and tried to snatch his revolver.
Both of them fell on the floor and suddenly a fire shot
went off the revolver.
A bullet hit the Chairman on his side.
However, Nur Khan created a situation which allowed
the pilots to manhandle the hijacker.
The hijacker was arrested and was identified by the
name of Nazir who hailed from Mianwali a city in Pakistan.
On the other hand, Chairman Nur Khan was shifted to the
hospital. He later recovered from his injury and survived.
For his act of bravery, he was awarded with the highest
civil award of Pakistan, the Hilal-e-Shujaat.
In the aviation history of Pakistan, this F27 Fokker
aircraft registered as AP-ALW was another historic
aircraft and it continued to operate in PIA till 2003.
After retirement from service in 2003, this historic aircraft
which deserved a place in a museum was rather broken
into pieces and scrapped.
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