An American Airlines Boeing 737 |
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| Hijacking summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 8, 2011 |
| Type | Attempted Hijacking |
| Site | on approach to San Francisco International Airport, California, United States |
| Passengers | 151 |
| Crew | 11 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 162(all) |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737 |
| Operator | American Airlines |
| Flight origin | O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Destination | San Francisco International Airport |
American Airlines Flight 1561 was a passenger flight which was subjected to an attempted hijacking by Yemeni passenger Rageh Ahmed Mohammed Al-Murisi, on May 8, 2011. The attempt failed, with no injuries to the other 161 people onboard. The aircraft involved, a Boeing 737, was operating American Airlines' scheduled domestic service from O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, to San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California. Twenty minutes before the end of the flight, Al-Murisi attempted to gain access to the cockpit. He was subdued by crew members and passengers, and arrested on arrival at San Francisco.[1]
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The Boeing 737, carrying 162 people to San Francisco was approximately over Modesto, California. On approach to SFO, 20 minutes prior to landing, Yemeni passenger Rageh Ahmed Mohammed Al-Murisi[2] (also spelled Rageh Almurisi),[1] allegedly rushed toward the front of the cabin yelling "Allahu Akbar" and attempted to break into the cockpit.[3][4]
On al-Murisi's initial attempt to open the cockpit door, a flight attendant assumed he was looking for a restroom, and directed him to one.[3] After Al-Murisi was informed a second time that the cockpit was not a lavatory, he made eye contact with the crew member, lowered his shoulder, and began ramming the cockpit door.[3] Al-Murisi was persistent in attempting to open the door, all the time shouting Allahu Akbar, even after a crew member was interposed between him and the door.[5][3]
Al-Murisi was tackled and subdued by members of the flight crew and several passengers, including a retired Secret Service agent and a retired police officer.[3] They bound his hands and feet with zip-tie handcuffs.[3] He was formally arrested after the jet's landing in San Francisco.[2]
The incident occurred days after the death of Osama bin Laden. Retired San Mateo police officer Larry Wright assisted in subduing al-Murisi, and said he was sure the man intended to crash the plane.[3] Several passengers expressed the view that it was a thwarted terrorist attack.[1]
Al-Murisi was carrying a Yemeni passport, and a number of New York and California ID cards and documents (some expired), but did not have any possessions with him on other than an Apple charger cord, a pair of sunglasses, $47, and two post-dated checks to the amounts of $5,000 and $8,000.[3] He was said to have no clear or known terrorist ties and Federal agents were investigating his background.[1][4]
He was charged on May 10, 2011, with one count of interfering with a flight crew, which carries penalties of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.[3]
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