IC 814

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Indian Airlines Flight 814

Taliban militia in front of the hijacked plane

Hijacking summary

Date December 24, 1999-January 1,

2000

Type Hijacking

Site Hijacked between Kathmandu,

Nepal, and Delhi, India, in Indian

airspace, landed at Amritsar,

India; Lahore, Pakistan; Dubai;

and Kandahar, Afghanistan

Passengers 178

Crew 15

Injuries 17

Fatalities 1 (Rupin Katyal)

Survivors 192

Aircraft type Airbus A300

Operator Indian Airlines

Tail number VT-EDW

Flight origin Tribhuvan International Airport,

Kathmandu, Nepal

Destination Indira Gandhi International

Airport, Delhi, India

Indian Airlines Flight 81From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Indian Airlines Flight 814commonly known as IC 814was an IndianAirlinesAirbus A300en route from Tribhuvan International Airport inKathmandu, Nepal to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India onFriday, December 24, 1999, when it was hijacked. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, aPakistan-based group, was accused of the hijacking.

The aircraft was hijacked by gunmen shortly after it entered Indian airspace atabout 17:30 IST. After touching down in Amritsar, Lahoreand Dubai, thehijackers forced the aircraft to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The hijackersreleased 27 of 176 passengers in Dubai but fatally stabbed one and woundedseveral others.

India's lack of recognition of the Talibanregime in Afghanistan complicatednegotiations between Indian authorities and the hijackers. Taliban moved itswell-armed fighters near the hijacked aircraft in an attempt to prevent Indianspecial forcesfrom storming the aircraft. The hijacking lasted for seven daysand ended after India released three militants Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar,Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Maulana Masood Azhar.

Contents

1Hijacking 1.1Landing in Amritsar, India 1.2Landing in Lahore, Pakistan 1.3Landing in Dubai, UAE 1.4Landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan 1.5Negotiations

2Aftermath 3See also 4References

5External links

Hijacking

The Indian Airlinesflight 814 (VT-EDW) had 178 passengers on board (mostof whom were Indian nationals) that were coming to India after vacationing in

Nepal.[1] was hijacked on December 24, 1999, shortly after the aircraft entered

Indian airspace at about 17:30 IST.[2]The identities of the hijackers according to the Indian Government were:[3]

1. Ibrahim Azhar, Bahawalpur, Pakistan2. Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Karachi, Pakistan3. Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Karachi, Pakistan

4. Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Karachi, Pakistan5. Shakir, Sukkur, Pakistan

Anil Sharma, the chief flight attendanton IC-814, later recalled that a masked, bespectacled man threatened to blow up the plane

with a bomb and ordered Captain Devi Sharan to "fly west".[4]The hijackers wanted Captain Sharan to divert the aircraft overLucknow and head towards Lahore. However, there was insufficient fuel. Captain Sharan told the hijackers that they had to land

in Amritsar, India.[4]

Landing in Amritsar, India

At Amritsar, Captain Sharan requested refueling the aircraft. However, the Crisis Management Group in Delhi directed AmritsarAirport authorities to ensure that the plane was immobilised, which armed personnel of the Punjab police were already in positionto try to do. They did not receive approval from New Delhi. Eventually, a fuel tanker was dispatched and instructed to block the

approach of the aircraft. As the tanker sped towards the aircraft, air traffic control radioed the pilot to slow down, and the tankerimmediately came to a stop. This sudden stop aroused the hijackers' suspicion and they forced the aircraft to take off

immediately, without clearance from air traffic control. The aircraft missed the tanker by only a few feet and flew away[5]

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Landing in Lahore, Pakista

Due to extremely low fuel level, the aircraft requested emergency landing in Lahore, Pakistan. Pakistan initially denied therequest fearing that their country might be linked with the terrorists. Pakistan also shut down their air traffic services, thus

effectively blackening the whole of Pakistan airspace for the Indian Airlines flight and switched off all lights at Lahore Airport.[6]

With no help from ATC, Captain Sharan banked on his visual instincts and began descending on what he thought was a runway

only to find out that it was a well-lit road and aborted landing the aircraft in time.[7] On understanding that the only other optionfor the aircraft was to crash land, Lahore Airport switched on its lights and allowed the aircraft to land. Lahore airport officials

refueled the aircraft and allowed it to leave Lahore at 22:32 IST. Pakistani officials rejected the pilot's request to offload somewomen and children passengers due to tense relations with India.[8]

Landing in Dubai, UAE

The aircraft took off for Dubai where 27 passengers aboard the flight were released.[8]The hijackers also released a criticallyinjured 25-year-old Indian male, Rupin Katyal, who was stabbed by the hijackers multiple times. Rupin had actually died beforethe aircraft landed in Dubai.

Landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan

After the aircraft landed in Kandahar, Taliban authorities, in an attempt to gain international recognition, agreed to cooperate

with Indian authorities and took the role of mediators between the hijackers and the Indian government.[9] Since India did not

recognise the Taliban regime, it dispatched an official from its High Commission in Islamabadto Kandahar.[8] India's lack of

previous contact with the Taliban regime complicated the negotiating process.[10][11]

However, the intention of the Taliban was under doubt after its armed fighters surrounded the aircraft.[12]The Taliban maintainedthat the forces were deployed in an attempt to dissuade the hijackers from killing or injuring the hostages but some analysts

believe it was done to prevent an Indian military operation against the hijackers.[13][14]

Negotiations

Maulana Masood Azhar founded Jaish-e-Muhammedin 2000 which gained notoriety for its alleged role in the 2001

Indian Parliament attack.[15][16]

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh arrested in 2002 by Pakistani authorities for the abduction and murder of Daniel Pearl.[17][18]

Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar has played an active role since release in training Islamic militants in Azad Kashmir.

[19]

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who had been imprisoned in connection with the 1994 Kidnappings of Western tourists in India,went on to murder Daniel Pearl and also allegedly played a significant role in planning the September 11 attacksin the United

States.[20]

After the three militants landed in Kandahar, the hostages aboard the flight were freed. On December 31, 1999, the freed hostages

of the Indian Airlines Flight 814 were flown back to Indiaon a special plane.[citation needed]

The three militants were later escorted by Taliban across Pakistani border. Pakistan denied that any of the militants are inPakistan, but it was discovered later that all three terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar (living in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan), AhmedOmar Saeed Sheikh (who kidnapped and killed Daniel Pearl from Lahore, Pakistan) and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar (also living inMuzaffarabad, Pakistan) were in Pakistan.

AftermathThe case was investigated by Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) which charged10 people out of which seven including the

five hijackers were still absconding and are in Pakistan.[21] On 5 Feb 2008, a special anti hijacking Patiala House Courtsentencedall three convicts namely Abdul Latif, Yusuf Nepali and Dilip Kumar Bhujel to life imprisonment. They were charged for

helping the hijackers in procuring fake passports and to take weapons on board.[22] However, CBI moved Punjab and Haryana

High Courtdemanding death penalty (instead of life imprisonment) to Abdul Latif.[21]The case is set to come up for regular

hearing in high court in September 2012.[23]

See also

Air India Flight 182

Air France Flight 8969 Dawson's Field hijackings



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References

1. ^"Air Hijack." [Documentary TV show]Miditech.2. ^Vohra, Ranbir (2000).The making of India (http://books.google.com/books?

id=IDKoyGjFo44C&pg=PA318&lpg=PA318&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking) . M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 978-0-7656-0711-9.http://books.google.com/books?id=IDKoyGjFo44C&pg=PA318&lpg=PA318&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking.

3. Îndian Embassy: Identity of the hijackers. (http://www.indianembassy.org/archive/IC_814.htm#Identity%20of%20hijackers)

4. â b

"How Govt lost the IC-814 hijack deal" (http://www.ibnlive.com/news/govt-fumbled-ic814-taken-away/20846-3.html) . 2006-09-07. http://www.ibnlive.com/news/govt-fumbled-ic814-taken-away/20846-3.html. Retrieved 2006-09-07.

5. ^"Cover Story: Hijacking; ... in Amritsar, a speeding tanker causes panic" (http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html) .India-today.com. 2000-01-10. http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover2.html. Retrieved 2010-06-08.

6. ^"Cover Story: Hijacking; ... in Lahore, there is a political sideshow" (http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover3.html) .India-today.com. 2000-01-10. http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20000110/cover3.html. Retrieved 2010-06-08.

7. ^http://www.indiarightsonline.com/Sabrang/ethnic2.nsf/38b852a8345861dd65256a980059289d/d2a5602660dc9ade65256dd400236ede?OpenDocument

8. â b c India-Pakistan in war & peace By Jyotindra Nath Dixit (http://books.google.com/books?id=XnzRttnqExUC&pg=PA24&dq=taliban+hijacking+india&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a)

9. ^Pakistan's ISI By Srikanta Ghosh(http://books.google.com/books?id=d1dGQBDrGxY C&pg=PA184&dq=india+taliban+relations+hijacking&lr=&client=firefox-a#PPA185,M1)

10. The greater game By David Van Praagh(http://books.google.com/books?id=kCI4492cHTEC&pg=PA405&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a)

11. ^Riedel, Bruce. "The Search for al-Qaeda", 200812. ^Hijacking and Terror in Sky By Giriraj Shah(http://books.google.com/books?id=G7vLJpEDztYC&pg=PA105&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a)

13. Înside Al Qaeda By Rohan Gunaratna(http://books.google.com/books?id=rO2HY8unF_sC&pg=PA214&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a)

14. ^Hijacking and hostages By J . Paul de B. Taillon(http://books.google.com/books?id=FOWlnOXhdLkC&pg=PA188&dq=indian+airl ines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a)

15. The Independent: Pakistan blamed by India for raid on parliament (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistan-blamed-by-india-for-raid-on-parliament-620439.html)

16. ^How we missed the story By Roy Gutman(http://books.google.com/books?id=A9eqvc-Ru3cC&pg=PA242&dq=indian+airlines+hijacking+taliban&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a)

17. ^"Profile: Omar Saeed Sheikh" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1804710.stm) .BBC News. 2002-07-16.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1804710.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-05.

18. Ônline NewsHour Update: Pakistan Convicts Four Men in Pearl Murder - July 15, 2002(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/pearl_07-15-02.html)

19. Âbhinandan Mishra (2008-07-27). "India's Response To Terrorism -Are We Losing TheWar?" (http://www.webcitation.org/5ZpRBSYFx) . Archived from [8126110902http://desicritics.org/2008/07/27/132626.php theoriginal] on 2008-08-04. http://www.webcitation.org/5ZpRBSYFx. Retrieved 2008-08-04.

20. ^CNN Transcript"Suspected Mastermind of Pearl Killing Arrested" (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/12/bn.02.html) .CNN. 2001-02-07. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/12/bn.02.html. Retrieved 2006-06-29.February 12, 2002.

21. â b "CBI seeks death penalty for IC-814 hijack accused" (http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=615303) . Outlook India. Oct02, 2008. http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=615303. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

22. ^"Patiala court gives life imprisonment to IC-814 hijacking convicts" (http://news.oneindia.in/2008/02/05/patiala-court-imprisonment-ic-814-hijacking-convicts-1202224500.html) . February 5, 2008. http://news.oneindia.in/2008/02/05/patiala-court-imprisonment-ic-814-hijacking-convicts-1202224500.html. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

23. ^"Over 3 years in cold storage, case to come up for hearing in September" (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/over-3-years-in-cold-storage-case-to-come-up-for-hearing-in-september/956374/) . Indian Express. J un 01 2012. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/over-3-years-in-cold-storage-case-to-come-up-for-hearing-in-september/956374/. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

External links

Information on hijacked Indian Airlines Flight IC-814, Embassy of India(http://www.indianembassy.org/archive/IC_814.htm)

Photographs of the Pakistani Hijackers(http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jan/06ia.htm) My experiences aboard IC-814(http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/jan2000/msg00095.html) Indian Airlines Capt. Devi Sharan was awarded the 1999 Safe Skies Award

(http://www.conway.com/wdf/safesky2.htm#1999) Aziz hand seen in Kandahar hijacking(http://www.indiareacts.com/archivefeatures/nat2.asp?recno=23&ctg=World) IC-814 hijackers free birds in Pak (http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/showthread.php?t=5468) IC-814 Captain becomes a celebrity in India(http://www.webcitation.org/query?

url=http://www.geocities.com/siafdu/hijackc.html&date=2009-10-26+02:34:02) Hijacking description(http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19991224-1) at the Aviation Safety Network

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_Airlines_Flight_814&oldid=499723899"

Categories: Aviation accidents and incidents in 1999 Aircraft hijackings Aviation accidents and incidents in India

Islamic terrorism in India Terrorist incidents in India in 1999 Hostage taking Indian Airlines accidents and incidents

1999 in India Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A300



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