Narrative:Four Tanzanian youths (17-20 years old) hijacked the airplane attempting to find a better life abroad. They demanded to be flown to London via Addis Ababa.
The captain led the hijackers to believe that a refueling stop at Lodwar Airport, Kenya was necessary. The crew then fooled the hijackers by returning to Dar Es Salaam. The aircraft landed in darkness. The following morning the hijackers realized that they were back at Dar Es Salaam and wounded the crew using a knife.
They attempted to flee the plane but were arrested by troops that had surrounded the aircraft. It appeared that their guns and hand grenade were fake.
Classification:
Hijack
Sources:
» Criminal Acts Against Civil Aviation 1988 / U.S. Department of Transport, FAA, Office of Civil Aviation Security
» NRC 15-2-1988
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Dar es Salaam International Airport to Kilimanjaro Airport as the crow flies is 448 km (280 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.