| Hijacking summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | March 30, 2007 |
| Type | Hijacking |
| Site | Khartoum, Sudan |
| Passengers | 273 |
| Crew | 11 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 284 (all) |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A300 |
| Operator | Sudan Airways |
The 2007 Sudan Airways hijacking was the hijacking of a Sudan Airways airliner with 284 people on board on March 30, 2007.[1]
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The aircraft, an Airbus A300-600, was carrying 273 passengers and 11 crew on a scheduled flight from Tripoli, Libya to Khartoum, Sudan.[1]
The hijacker, Sayed Fallun Sayed, 39,[1] entered the cockpit approximately 1.5 hours prior to scheduled landing time, armed with a knife.[2] He proceeded to request that the flight be diverted to South Africa, but instead allowed the plane to proceed as scheduled to Khartoum International Airport in order to refuel.[1] He also expressed a desire to speak to journalists and the British ambassador.[2]
After the aircraft landed at Khartoum, different sources disagree on what happened next. Sudan.net claims that the man Sayed was negotiated with for three hours prior to giving himself up,[1] while The Irish Times claims he was in fact arrested by snipers dressed as journalists.[2] Both sources agree he was ultimately arrested.[1][2]
Although there is no obvious motive for the hijacking,[2] it is thought to have been connected to Sayed's recent deportation from Libya.[1] A police statement at the time stated that it was also believed he was suffering psychological problems.[1]