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.jpg) A Philippine Airlines BAC 1-11, similar to the one involved | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 23, 1976 |
| Summary | Hijacking |
| Site | Zamboanga International Airport, Zamboanga City, Philippines |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | BAC One-Eleven-527FK |
| Operator | Philippine Airlines |
| Registration | RP-C1161 |
| Flight origin | Francisco Bangoy International Airport, Davao City, Philippines |
| Destination | Manila International Airport, Philippines |
| Passengers | 82 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Fatalities | 13 |
| Injuries | 23 |
| Survivors | 74 |
Philippine Airlines Flight 116 was a domestic flight operated by Philippine Airlines that departed from Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao to Manila International Airport. On May 21, 1976, six passengers stormed the plane and diverted it to Zamboanga Airport where it was met by the military and the police. Negotiations between the hijackers and the police continued until May 23, 1976, when authorities attempted to storm the plane. A gun battle broke out and grenades were thrown, setting it on fire. 10 passengers and 3 of the 6 hijackers died in the storming.
Hijacking
On May 21, 1976, the BAC One-Eleven operating as Flight 116 took off from Davao City to Manila International Airport at 2:30 p.m. (local time) when six armed passengers from Makati and the Moro Liberation Front announced that they would be hijacking the plane, only 10 minutes after departure. Three hijackers were armed with grenades, while two were armed with a .45 caliber pistol, and one with a .22 caliber.
The hijackers ordered the pilots to fly to Libya, wanting to seek asylum there imitating a successful PAL that took place in April that same year.
However, the captain negotiated with the leader (known as Commander Zapata) stating that the aircraft was unfit for flying long distances because of fuel, so Zapata ordered him to fly to Sabah. With the same explanation, he reluctantly ordered the aircraft to divert to Zamboanga.
Upon landing in Zamboanga at around 3:00 p.m., the aircraft was immediately met with two armored cars parked towards the front of the jet.
The hijackers demanded a ransom of $375,000 and a larger plane to fly them to Libya, threatening to blow up the jet if their demands were not met by the Philippine government and the airline. Negotiations lasted for a day while the police and military monitored the situation. At one point, there were plans that authorities would enter the plane disguised as the relatives of the hostages. The next day, 5 women and 9 children were released in exchange for food and water, however none of the passengers were said to have been served anything until May 23.
May 23 - the shootout
The Armed Forces of the Philippines was deployed to settle the situation, and consisted of units from Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group and the Philippine Constabulary. Only a few military vehicles were on standby including two Cadillac Gage Commandos., and the operation was led by General Mariano E. Castaneda Jr.
The two V150 AFVs formerly parked in front of the aircraft was now pushed against the cockpit and other vital areas, however one of them rammed the jet, causing panic amongst the hijackers and setting grenades off in the cabin.
Authorities stormed into the plane and a gun battle was ensued, which lasted for hours. Grenades exploded in the cabin, setting the plane on fire. Three hijackers and ten passengers were killed during the shooting while another 23 were injured, most of them during the evacuation. The three surviving hijackers were soon arrested and were executed by a firing squad.
The aircraft was written off, and was the Armed Forces of the Philippines' first anti-hijacking operation.
A former passenger filed a lawsuit against Philippine Airlines in 1990 - the case was then dismissed.
Aircraft
The aircraft was a BAC One-Eleven Series 500 manufactured in Hurn with a test registration of G-AYOS. Its first flight was in 1970 and was delivered to Philippine Airlines in 1971 as PI-C1161. In 1974 it was re-registered to RP-C1161.
References
- Pathé, British. "Philippines: Philippines Hijack Shootout". www.britishpathe.com. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
- Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident BAC One-Eleven 527FK RP-C1161 Zamboanga Airport (ZAM)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
- "3 Hijackers and 10 Hostages Die As Philippine Plane Is Set Afire". The New York Times. 1976-05-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- "G.R. No. 55300 March 15, 1990 - FRANKLIN G. GACAL, ET AL. v. PHILIPPINE AIR LINES, INC., ET AL". lawlibrary.chanrobles.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
| Aviation accidents and incidents in 1976 (1976) | |
|---|---|
| Jan 1 Middle East Airlines Flight 438Jan 3 Aeroflot Flight 2003Jan 15 Taxi Aereo el Venado Douglas DC-4 accidentFeb 9 Aeroflot Flight 3739Mar 6 Aeroflot Flight 909Apr 5 Alaska Airlines Flight 60Apr 26 Gubir shootdownApr 27 American Airlines Flight 625May 9 Imperial Iranian Air Force Flight 48May 15 Aeroflot Flight 1802May 23 Philippine Airlines Flight 116Jun 1 Aeroflot Flight 418Jun 4 Air Manila Flight 702Jun 6 Double Six CrashJun 27 Air France Flight 139Jul 28 ČSA Flight 001Aug 15 SAETA Flight 232Aug 23 EgyptAir Flight 321Sep 3 Venezuelan Air Force C-130 crashSep 9 Anapa mid-air collisionSep 10 Zagreb mid-air collisionSep 10 TWA Flight 355Sep 19 Turkish Airlines Flight 452Oct 6 Cubana de Aviación Flight 455Oct 12 Indian Airlines Flight 171Oct 13 LAB Boeing 707 crashNov 23 Olympic Airways Flight 830Nov 28 Aeroflot Flight 2415Dec 17 Aeroflot Flight N-36Dec 25 EgyptAir Flight 864 | |
| 1975 ◄ ► 1977 |