TWA Flight 847
N64339, the aircraft involved in the hijacking, in 1987 | |
| Hijacking | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 14, 1985 |
| Summary | Hijacking |
| Site | Greek airspace |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 727–231 |
| Operator | Trans World Airlines |
| Call sign | TWA 847 |
| Registration | N64339 |
| Flight origin | Cairo International Airport, Egypt |
| 1st stopover | Ellinikon International Airport, Greece |
| 2nd stopover | Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, Italy |
| 3rd stopover | Logan International Airport, United States |
| 4th stopover | Los Angeles International Airport, United States |
| Destination | San Diego International Airport, United States |
| Occupants | 155 |
| Passengers | 147 (including 2 hijackers) |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Survivors | 154 |
TWA Flight 847 was a regularly scheduled Trans World Airlines flight from Cairo to San Diego with en route stops in Athens, Rome, Boston, and Los Angeles. On the morning of June 14, 1985, Flight 847 was hijacked soon after take off from Athens. The Hezbollah hijackers demanded the release of 700 Shia Muslims from Israeli custody and took the plane repeatedly to Beirut and Algiers. Later Western analysis confirmed them members of Hezbollah, an allegation Hezbollah rejects.
The hijacking and subsequent hostage situation played out over the course of 17 days, during which the aircraft crisscrossed the Mediterranean. At the same time many passengers were tied up and beaten and those with Jewish-sounding names were separated from the others. United States Navy diver Robert Stethem was murdered, and his body was thrown onto the airport apron. The ordeal finally ended after some of the hijacker's demands were met and they agreed to release their hostages. Many believed that because of the lawless nature of Lebanon at the time the captors would go without punishment.