Date & Time:
Nov 24, 1985 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 737-200
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AYH
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Athens - Cairo
MSN:
21191
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
MS648
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
92
Pax fatalities:
60
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
60
Circumstances:
On November 23, at 19:35 the EgyptAir Boeing 737 was hijacked by 3 men. The Egyptian security guard who was onboard shot and killed one of the hijackers before being shot and wounded himself, along with two flight attendants. Although the hijackers demanded to be flown to Tunisia or Libya, they agreed to land at Malta for refueling were it landed at 21:15. At Malta, the two wounded cabin crew members were released, along with 11 women. Because Maltese authorities refused to refuel the plane unless all passengers were released, the hijackers threatened to kill a passenger every 10 minutes. A total of 5 additional people were shot and thrown off the aircraft, two of them were killed. After 22 hours of negotiation the plane was stormed by Egyptian forces. In the fight which followed hand grenades were thrown into the passenger cabin, causing a fire.
Probable cause:
Aircraft hijacked and then partially destroyed by grenade explosion and fire arms.
