Narrative:
Kuwait Airways Flight 422 was hijacked by nine men, armed with hand grenades and guns. The flight diverted to Mashhad, Iran were 25 passengers were released. The hijackers demanded the release of 17 Shiite Muslims guerrillas held in Kuwait. One day into the hijacking, on April 6, 32 more hostages were released. But three days later the hijackers forced the Iranian authorities to refuel the jet and flew to Larnaca, Cyprus.
During a four day stopover in Larnaca they released one passenger but killed two others to force the authorities to give them more fuel. On 13 April the hijackers flew to Algeria where a week later they finally freed their remaining 32 hostages and surrendered.
The duration of the hijacking was 16 days.
| Status: | |
| Date: | Tuesday 5 April 1988 |
| Type: |  Boeing 747-269B |
| Operator: | Kuwait Airways |
| Registration: | 9K-ADB |
| MSN: | 21542/335 |
| First flight: | 1978-08-03 (9 years 8 months) |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7J |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 112 |
| Aircraft damage: | Unknown |
| Location: | Algiers-Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG) ( Algeria)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD), Thailand |
| Kuwait International Airport (KWI/OKBK), Kuwait | |
| Flightnumber: | KU422 |
Kuwait Airways Flight 422 was hijacked by nine men, armed with hand grenades and guns. The flight diverted to Mashhad, Iran were 25 passengers were released. The hijackers demanded the release of 17 Shiite Muslims guerrillas held in Kuwait. One day into the hijacking, on April 6, 32 more hostages were released. But three days later the hijackers forced the Iranian authorities to refuel the jet and flew to Larnaca, Cyprus.
During a four day stopover in Larnaca they released one passenger but killed two others to force the authorities to give them more fuel. On 13 April the hijackers flew to Algeria where a week later they finally freed their remaining 32 hostages and surrendered.
The duration of the hijacking was 16 days.
Classification:
HijackPhotos
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 Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport to Kuwait International Airport as the crow flies is 5622 km (3514 miles).
Distance from Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport to Kuwait International Airport as the crow flies is 5622 km (3514 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.
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
