adminThe Rhodesia Herald, January 3, 1970
RIO DE JANEIRO. – Armed police Brazilian hijackers, including a pretty 22-year-old girl, today held 27 people at bay aboard a Caravelle jetliner after its engines failed to start here.
The plane, bound for Cuba after being hijacked last night, was surrounded by 60 policemen as its owners did their utmost to get it airborne again. It had landed here earlier today to refuel.
The 21 passengers and six-man crew lunched from supplies taken on here and all was reported quiet aboard.
In a note dropped from one of the plane’s windows the hijackers claimed membership of a revolutionary group apparently favouring the ideals of the late Cuban guerilla leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
The president of the Brazilian airline Cruzeiro do Sul, the Caravelle’s owners, was on an open telephone line from Rio de Janeiro to Lima in order to speed the plane’s departure and avoid antagonizing the hijackers.
A Caravelle from LAN, the Chilean National Airline, was expected here later today with starting generators.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
On December 24, 1971, a Caravelle jetliner was hijacked by five armed individuals in Brazil. The hijackers included a 22-year-old woman and took control of the aircraft after its engines failed to start. The plane was originally bound for Cuba and had landed in Brazil for refuelling. At the time of the incident, there were 27 hostages aboard the aircraft.
The hijacking occurred after the plane had been diverted due to mechanical issues. The hijackers, armed and determined, held the passengers and crew at bay while authorities responded to the situation. The Brazilian police quickly surrounded the aircraft with approximately 60 officers on site, indicating a significant law enforcement presence aimed at resolving the crisis without further escalation.
In such hijacking scenarios, negotiations typically play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of hostages while attempting to resolve demands made by hijackers.
In this case, authorities would have likely engaged with the hijackers to understand their motivations and demands while working towards a peaceful resolution.
Online Reporter