When Malta saved 247 passengers on hijacked plane

P.Zammit

Nov 29th 2009, 11:01

@Dusty Williams
Nimmagina li fiz-zmien is-socjalisti (71-87 u 96-98) ma kontx bghatut, anzi kellek paga twahhax, kontijiet bic-cicri, u kollox b'xejn provdut min shabek ta gjanejhom homor.

Nimmaginak temmen ukoll li 3 snin ohra, mal-wasal tal-salvatur (illum - ghada tghajruh traditur) terga tkun mifquh bil-liri, tixtri li trid, prezzijiet baxxi tad-dahk (anka meta l-materia prima tinxtara min barra m'ghola s-smewwiet tipo iz-zejt), u jkollok xi villa villun bil-pool u gnien daqs ground tal-futbol kollox spejjez tal-gvern.

Jekk trid tghaddi argument bazwi, Sur Williams, hemm gurnala b'gelat ahmar fuqu, fejn tista tikteb affarijiet simili.

dusty williams

Nov 28th 2009, 17:10

SUR AVELLINO LANQAS HEMM BZONN INFAKKAR LIN-NIES X'GHAMEL U MA GHAMILX IL PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA GHAX INHOSSNI MQALLA NISMA U NAQRA L ISTESS KUMMENTI PERO HA NGHID WAHDA, STAQSI LIN NIES HEMM BARRA U SSIBX LIL XI HADD JGHIDLEK LI MHUX BATUT BHALISSA TAHTKOM HLIEF X MIGNUN LI MA JAMMETTI QATT U LI JIEHU GOST JGHUM FIL HMIEG LI QED TAGHMLU?

John A. Zammit

Nov 28th 2009, 10:32

Dear Mr. Gauci: you are mixing things up it is one thing dealing with a situation where bank staff is held hostage by criminals as happened in December 1980 at the Marsa Branch of the Bank of Valletta and dealing with a highjack involving terrorists with a political agenda. I personally was trained in the U.K. in hostage negogiations and feel quite confident to deal with the former type of situation but would surely refuse to deal with a highjack. If you were to read books like the one published last year Blood and Rage-A Cultural History of Terrorism by Michael Burleigh you would know that most highjacks are dealt with by politicians as most of the decisons that have to be taken are of a political nature. I just mention the Entebbe Airport case. Physcology and experience are good weapons in the armory of the negotiator but with them one needs a sound knowledge of the world. Just for the record for me Mintoff is no god, he is just a man who like all of us has done good and bad but I leave judgement to the eternal judge. Still you have not come up with names.

mario zammit

Nov 28th 2009, 09:47

love him or hate him. blue eyes or red he was the best leader of our country.
Dom. Mintoff thanks for all the social benefits and all the Malta s (air. sea. tele.Ene. ect.ect.)
you gave to our country.

Kenneth Barry

Nov 28th 2009, 08:25

I remember this episode very clearly. At the time I was on Aircraft Despatch duties on a BEA Trident aircraft which was parked on Park 9, when information was received on my walkie-talkie of the impending KLM B747 hijack. This is when we were ordered off the Tarmac by the authorities. In those days, hijacks were not common, and this episode created a lot of public interest. The ground handling agent had no ground equipment to handle the B747, and eventually a cherry picker had to be used to disembark the passengers in small groups as we did not have aircraft steps high enough to reach the B747 doors. Politics aside, a positive outcome was achieved!!

David Scicluna

Nov 27th 2009, 23:04

@m.gauci
You simply hate Mintoff or for that matter anything remotedly connected to Labour.

M.Gauci

Nov 27th 2009, 20:20

John Zammit I do not wish to belittle anyone or anything, I was purely stating an obvious observation. Did you think that hijack/hostage situations were invented in 1973 in Malta? Mr. Zammit, I do not think you are naive, but I do believe that age has not let you do away with certain emotions. You should seperate fact from emotions, in this case. Much as you would like to put Mintoff's name to a God status for what you think he did that day, you're surely not reasoning things out logically. Hostage situations have been happening anywhere in the world, in banks, homes, public buildings etc.. for ages prior to 1973. Other countries have people specifically trained to deal with such situations and criminals. Mr Mintoff played with those peoples' lives since he had no negotiation capabilities adequate for such life or death, situations. He played poker and won - but it was pure luck not skill. Would I want Mintoff (otherwise known for his brute negotiation skills) to negotiate my life in such a deadly situation? No thank you. Would prefer someone graduated in Psychology and with vast experience in such situations to a Perit.

Jesmond Micallef

Nov 27th 2009, 19:57

I do also remember quite vividly this instance at home. We where at home late one evening and my father, God Bless his soul, anwered a phone call. He was to report to Mr. Mintoff office the following morning about a new joint venture he was setting up between Malta and Libya, Bahar u Sewwi !!! My father was then also a technical advisor to the then Malta Development Corporation. He went to Libya for God knows how many times in order to help set up the bussiness. I also remember my father speaking about the emotional outbursts Mr. Mintoff exhibited at times most especially when invited for lunch at Mr. Mintoff's summer residence at Delimara. My father had problems with Mr. Mintoffs behavour. Kun mbierek ja Ghazziz missieri. Int thabatt tant biex tajtna il hajja li int qatt ma kellhekk meta int kont zghir. Thabatt ghax in trabejt minghajr missier. Grazzi Missieri. Nhobbok hafna. Ibnek Jesmond.

M. Avellino

Nov 27th 2009, 18:32

''Great Dom, Great Labour! This is what you get with Labour goverment - Safety and peace of mind'' C. Camilleri. Are you serious? Well if peace of mind means burning the Times, attacking the leader of opposition and unable to speak freely for fear of repression , if peace of mind means Bongu Malta socjalista or attacking PN clubs ..... then you are right!!!

John A. Zammit

Nov 27th 2009, 17:05

Mr. Ian Ellul. I must disappoint you as I have neither the time nor the skill to produce a website. My computer skills are very rudimentary and my days are quite full. I seldom open my electronic mail before 9.00 p.m. Perhaps you are young and unlike other bolgers I would like to give as true a picture of the global situation that conerned Malta when this incident happened as I can recall it. It happened less than two months after the end of the third Arab - Israel war and unlike the current situation all Arab states were very much anti-west. A few weeks later Arab states used oil as a political weapon and all of Europe was literally thrown into darkness. Idi Amin, the President of Uganda, expelled all those of Asian origin. Those were difficult days for us at the immigration at Luqa Airport; we were not only welcoming tourists, but guarding against terrorist penetration and dealing with aeroplanes loaded with Asian refugees as Mintoff had accepted a request from the U.N. to give them temporary asylum until they could find a country to accept them permamently. Again nobody ever mentions this humanitarian act by Mintoff.

Dane Cauchi

Nov 27th 2009, 14:59

Another episode which shows the great personality of that Great Man of Dom Mintoff. A living legend.

Edward Gatt

Nov 27th 2009, 13:42

@ Charles J. Buttigieg

Was it an American/Egyptian plan? The AMerican advisor to the Egyptians was ordered to stay at the American Embassy by the Maltese authorities and the operation was conducted slely by the Eqyptians.

Besides that, I am not putting blame on anyone, just pointing out that hijacks in Malta (during any administration) were not always concluded successfully. And besides that, how come if Montoff was so great a negotiator, KMB did not ask for his help in that situation?

Ian Ellul

Nov 27th 2009, 10:57

Dom Mintoff - the greatest leader Malta ever had.

@ John A. Zammit

You ought to set up a website to this episode alone especially as you have the priviliged to have 1st hand experience and details of the actual negotittions discourse that was exchanged. I would love to help you achieve this should you be interested.

I have provided the TOM with my email address in posting this message. I hereby give them permission to pass it to you (only) should you ask for it.

beppe pisani

Nov 27th 2009, 10:06

timesofmalta.com should be really commended for reminding its readers of this incredible feat, event........and above all a man that gave malta an identity and a soul!

i can only imagine if EFA , gonzi or the greastest statesmen of them all, guido de marco would have done the same what would have happened:-)).......how the local media would have portraited them!!...........

Theodore Bugeja

Nov 27th 2009, 10:02

@J. Farrugia
It takes as blinkered blue-eyed political animal to twist facts and try to belittle an achievement which was recognised at the time as being a classical example of negotiating skills and statesmanship. As somebody else already said, Mintoff was and still is the greatest politician and statesman in Malta's political history.

l borg

Nov 27th 2009, 09:59

WE SHOULD KNOW THAT THE KLM WAS HIGHJACKED BY PALESTNIANS IN PROTEST OF AT THAT TIME DUTCH SUPORT FOR ISRAEL
AT THAT TIME AIRLINE HIGHJACKING WAS COMMON BY PALESTNIANS MILATANT GROUPS BUT RARELY ANY ONE WAS KILLED
MOST OF THE HIGHJACKING WAS TO GET ATTENTION OF THE PALESTNIAN CAUSE
AFTER ALL TILL DATE THE REAL VICTIMS ARE STILL THE PALESTNIAN PEOPLE

John A. Zammit

Nov 27th 2009, 09:38

As I have already stated I have first hand experience of this incident. For those whose only aim is to belittle Mintoff''s achievment in this case like M. Gauci, can they tell me who was then qualified, trained and what not to negotiate with hijackers? And for that matter can they tell me who are the people who are qualified/ trained to deal with a similar situation were it to happen now? I spent most of those fateful hours in the comapnay of a senior police officer who has now passed away and ethics dictate that I should not relate what conversation passed between us since he can niether confirm or disprove. Lest this should raise any comments I still hold the memory of this police officer in high esteem as he was a top policeman in all respects. To conclude I am waiting for the names of the perosns who are currently qaulified and trained to deal with a hijacking situation for my peace of mind.

Peter Bonnici

Nov 27th 2009, 09:21

@ Joe Grima. Its a shame that this demigod you speak of had no clout when it came to dealing with the thugs which were the lifeblood of the labour party. It took a 'spineless' Alfred Sant to stand up to them and throw them to the dogs.
You idolise Mintoff like my nephew used to idolise Cristiano Ronaldo. He's 7 now and has grown out of it.

David Attard

Nov 27th 2009, 08:14

Pity Dom couldn't save the TIMES......What a load of over-inflated garb.....

EDGAR PRECA

Nov 27th 2009, 08:07

What a great leader and negotiator he was!!!! I ponder sometimes if it is about time that we rename the city of Cospicua to Dom Mintoff City. It is the very least we can do to show our appreciation for this unique statesman.

J Farrugia

Nov 27th 2009, 07:54

whoever dreamt that this was a full blown hijack is mad. This was just an idiotic adventure by some renegade boys who lost their mind. And it was bad that the PM of the time involved himself in prima persona to bring this wild adventure to a stop. He should never have interfered with the local authorities' handling of this case. God forbid if ever there was a repetition of what happened to the Egyptair hijack, otherwise his head would have been chopped off for abusing the system. There are qualified people able to handle such situations and not bring to the fore the PM for some cheap publicity. I remember that this was THE HIJACK THAT NEVER WAS. punto e basta. Like the one 'conveniently' after it witht eh Boeing 747SP. Everything for a bit of fun. I have never seen hijackers laughing their way out instead of being put to prison for the terrible prank they did.

David Aloisio

Nov 27th 2009, 07:14

Is there a good biography about Mintoff which I can buy?

renol calleja

Nov 27th 2009, 04:46

timesofmalta.com should be commended for reminding its readers of this important historical event.

Labour's educational branch, IDEA, labour's counterpart to ASAD , should commemorate these events.

Mintoff's negotiating skills are legendary.

The greatest hurdle for Carrington and Nato to sign the defence agreement with Mintoff in l972, was not the amount of he was asking for the new defence treaty,

but Mintoff's insistence, that Nato would never again use Malta to attack any Arab state from Malta.

Britain had used Malta in l956 to invade Nasser's Egypt

During the 1067 six day war between Israel and the Arabs, Britain used Malta to give the Israelis logistical support.

That agreement and the entrenched clause in the Maltese Consitution that Malta should be neutral and non aligned, has kept malta safe from terrorist attacks

Malta should be grateful to this great man whose great achievments are unfortunately undervalued as a result of our parochail narrow minded politics.

Jesmond Micallef

Nov 27th 2009, 00:55

Again, Well done Mr. Dom Mintoff.

Jesmond Micallef

Jesmond Micallef

Nov 27th 2009, 00:43

Good Work Mr. Mintoff, indeed.

May I ask you one thing : DID YOU EVER THINK MALTA WAS YOUR OWN PROPERTY, SUR DUMINKU MINTOFF ?? HAS THIS THOUGHT EVER CROSSED YOUR MIND ??? You might have saved these people from the hardship of terror, whatabout your own NATIVES you fought so much for during your glory days ???

With my respect,

Jesmond Micallef

Mike O'Hara

Nov 27th 2009, 00:25

M Gauci

I suspect that in 1973 there were very few trained hostage negotiators available anywhere. Sadly, this speciality has had to be developed since.

If the accounts of this episode are correct, it seems Mr Mintoff had an innate sense of what to do under these extreme circumstances. The happy ending speaks for itself.

L Debono

Nov 26th 2009, 21:33

This has absolutely nothing to do with politics. It's all about one person's negotiating efforts. Well, I have to say that, he played his cards right and managed to obtain what he wished during that episode.

On the other hand it isn't advisable to give the position of a hostage negotiator to an untrained individual. It’s very dangerous to even get involved in such cases without the right skills. Mintoff might have had nerves of steel back then and a strong politician but he was no hostage negotiator!!!! He took a serous chance and gambled with people’s lives. It could have ended in a n ugly tragedy but because of his persistence, the dead end street that the hostages saw at the end of their way and luck, he succeeded. Considering the lack of manpower and resources of back then, he did his best and what he could at that instance and came out as a winner.

Joe Grima

Nov 26th 2009, 20:52

Legends are built on people like him. There will never be another. I once listened to a set of recordings of the negotiations that went on between Mintoff and the hijackers. At certain junctures, when Mintoff pressed his point for the release of the hostages, practically by insulting the hijackers, my hair stood on end. Minutes later he would coo them back with promises that he was their ally and their friend. Those scenes on film would never have been believed. What an incredible man!

m. borg

Nov 26th 2009, 20:42

It is amazing when facts from the past are presented which concern Mintoff, if such facts concern power cuts, water droughts, political violence etc the headlines would contribute such to Mintoff, eg, "When Mintoffian thugs ......" but something positive like the hijack mentioned above it is contributed to Malta and not Mintoff.
The head line should have read "When Mintoff saved 247 passengers...."

Charles J. Buttigieg

Nov 26th 2009, 19:43

@ Edward Gatt

The decision to storm the Egypt Air aircraft was taken after long and exhaustive attempts to release the hostages which proved futile. The final plan to storm the aircraft was the brainchild of the American and the Egyptian authorities and KMB in consultations with the opposition and bearing in mind that the aircraft was Egyptian territory and the Pax were Americans and Egyptians endorsed the USA\Egypt plan.

These are the facts and nobody but nobody blamed KMB for the sad ending at that time.

The unknown secret is the fact that KMB, being the good soul that he is, wanted to resign but he got convinced that under those circumstances nobody could have done better.

Joseph Vella

Nov 26th 2009, 19:29

You may not agree with Mintoff on a lot of things...But no one can ever deny the fact that he was the greatest politician our Country ever had. He created the middle class in Malta

Peter Bonnici

Nov 26th 2009, 19:24

@ C Camilleri. 1) You seem to have forgotten the Egyptair incident. 2) You also missed the part where Mintoff seems to have aided the hijackers by ensuring they escaped justice.

@ James Grech. You may want to question Gonzi's ability to take decisions, but not to win elections.

Alfred Farrugia

Nov 26th 2009, 19:24

There is no doubt that this account reflects the excellent negotiation skills of our former Prime Minister. It is a pity that the same skills do not seem to have been present in the other highjacking, although we might not know all the details, and every case is different. In the comments on the Egypt Air highjacking, the majority apparently did not factor the airline company’s demands or requests, if there were any. In the KLM case it is clear that the company had full confidence in Mr. Mintoff’s skills, otherwise Mr. Witholt would not have acted the way he did.

Not everything that was done during Dom Mintoff’s premiership was correct, as not everything that has been done under Nationalist administrations was correct. That is why we need to consider each action or policy implementation on its own merit from an objective perspective, which may not be easy given our partisan political orientations.

tony abela

Nov 26th 2009, 18:53

@ James Grech

No there was another hijack which Mr Mintoff negotiated without any casualties. It was a Libyan Airways Fokker hijacked while on internal flight and the hijackers were two Libyan Army Officers, one of them a relative of the Libyan Leader.

This was after 1979 as the British Forces were not present. It was handled all by Maltese. It must have been during 1981, but presently I do not have the exact dates.

A Maltese Hostess was on the flight as a Cabin Crew member.

JBorg

Nov 26th 2009, 18:50

@James Grech

"... I would personally not be comfortable at all if Dr. Gonzi were to handle the situation, given his track record in taking decisions."

I agree, but do you feel comfortable with Dr. Muscat? In my opinion, none of them has the strong personality of Mintoff.

John A. Zammit

Nov 26th 2009, 18:46

I was a police constable on duty at the Immigration Office at Luqa. Airport when this aircraft landed. Through the shortwave of any transistor radio in the airport area, Mr. Mintoff could be followed during his negotations with the hijackers with the son of an ex-Lebanese Prime Minister acting as interpreter. That was a situation that epitomies the firmness for which Mr. Mintoff had by that time established a reputation when negotiating- remember the 1972 negotiations with Britain when even Lord Carrington had to accept this. This was more than evident when the hijackers did not want to release the air hostesses- unfortunately your blog does not give enough space as otherwise I would relate the whole converstaion that passed. This would show without a shadow of a doubt Mr. Mintoff''s qualities both as a man and as a leader. People who like me are aware of such nitty gritty things about Mr. Mintoff can never stop admiring him whatever your holier than thou bloggers write and say.

V. Borg

Nov 26th 2009, 18:46

If my memory serves me right, after this ordeal Mr. Mintoff was donated with (I think)
4 horses in appreciation.

Mr. Mintoff was a real tough negotiator, one should read what Lord Carrington had
to say about Mr. Mintoff.

There is a saying which goes like this

Alla Halaqna.

San Pawl taghna il- Fidi.

Mr. Mintoff made the foundations of Malta.

May the Lord always watch over you.

Mintoff ghamilna Nies.

M.Gauci

Nov 26th 2009, 18:39

Dom was a cowboy - punto e basta. You dont get a prime minister negotiating a plane hijack, but people trained to do that job. Gosh, you guys are so lost in praising your God (lick lick) that it does not cross your mind that Dom actually put the lives of the passengers at risk because he was not trained to negotiate a hijack. A hijack is not a government / opposition negotiation table!
The fact that this story ended positive is no praise to Dom, but to sheet luck (fortuna del principiante) like a toddler shooting a ducks and getting a price for getting a straight 3.

Would like be on edge if Gonzi had to face such a situation ? If he did and went for it, I would ask him to resign - because he is not the ideal person to negotiate. Would you trust a butcher to treat you ill toddler ? Would you trust an engineer to fly a plane ? Would trust a doctor to build you your house ?

Stop praising Dom and just say that it was thanks to the Lord God (not your DOM) that a disaster did not happen!

M. Gatt

Nov 26th 2009, 18:31

I totally agree with Mario Camilleri's comments. Grazzi Perit. You were and still remain a great man.

Lewis Balzan

Nov 26th 2009, 18:21

Dom Mintoff was and will remain the greatest Maltese statesman of all time and not just for his generation. I remember when he was in office people all over the world would tell you they heard of Dom Mintoff but not of Malta.. The pity is that many historians are so politically-blinkered that they tend to picture Mintoff as the devil incarnate.

J. Mula

Nov 26th 2009, 18:20

The best negotiator ever.

James Grech

Nov 26th 2009, 18:18

If my knowledge is correct, there were only these two incidents recorded, ie the one mentioned here and the EgyptAir case. Putting it very lightly, this leaves LP leaders with a 50% success, so to say. On the other hand no PN leader was faced with a similar critical situation and so we cannot compare equal with equal. Most probably however, if something drastic should happen again, I would personally not be comfortable at all if Dr. Gonzi were to handle the situation, given his track record in taking decisions.

Mario Camilleri

Nov 26th 2009, 18:11

So we have people here calling Mintoff a dictator, they wanted him to be crucified too, they use to call him a communist and all sort of adjectives but this article shows that he was just a human being who loved Malta. we should admire this man and not insult him. if we are flying on airmalta it was because of him....thanks Dom MIntoff.

Joseph Borg

Nov 26th 2009, 17:54

I must thank Times of Malta for publishing this article so that everyone will see that even during the labour govts good things where also done. Sometimes its a shame that some ppl here are always writing negative comments on previous PL govts. I hope these same ppl comment about this event too...in a positive way.

Christopher Formosa

Nov 26th 2009, 17:41

Vera haqqu proset.......nahseb...........ifhem..........allura b dan l irragunar......min kien resposabbli al hijaking l iehor.......ta l Egyptair.........ma nafx.........nistaqsi qijad.

Imnalla kin il lejbour li salvaw.........u dawk li mietu?............boq.....saftey u peace of mind forsi......

I Abela

Nov 26th 2009, 17:28

A few days ago there was an article about the other hijack where almost all passengers lost their lives. As usual critics on this website argued about the disastrous way then prime minister KMB handled the situation (True). Trying to insinuate that MLP was not up to task to be in govt let alone handle such serious situations (False). Well, Well my friends, here is another article this time regarding the King of Kings Mr Mintoff. Not a shot fired, not a hostage injured. Malta didn't save 247 passengers. Mintoff did. Like he did with the rest of us. History cannot be re-written. Imagine Gonzi in such a situation now. Probably he would tell the hijackers that according to the Geneva Convention they are breaking Human Right Laws by keeping the hostages against their will. This reminds me what a bunch of spineless people some of you elected to power.

Edward Gatt

Nov 26th 2009, 17:24

@ C Camilleri

Do you believe so? Well, tell that to the Egyptair hostages who also landed in Malta when it was under a Labour govt.

tony abela

Nov 26th 2009, 17:18

For the sake of records purposes one should note that:

1. Mr Mintoff used the Old Control Tower which is between Park 1 and Park 2 which was still under the control of the RAF. The present Control Tower was under construction and was inaugurated by President Anton Buttigie during 1974.
2. Mr Mintoff brought the problem that the runway 06/24 was too short for the Jumbo to take off as this was the first Jumbo which landed at Luqa and at the time runway 14/32 was half way under construction, so there was only one runway in use at Luqa. If the Hijackers kept the full load of passengers the chances of take-off on runway 06/14 were very risky.
3. It was the first time for a Maltese Prime Minister to enter the RAF Luqa territory as until 1979 it was run completely by the British RAF. In fact an external stair-case was eventually constructed from the Operations Barrier (Gate No 1) for access to the ex-IAL F.I.R. Control Centre which was under the responsability of the Maltese Government since the 1972 Defence Agreement between Malta and Britain and eventually was totally manned with Maltese Controllers and personnel.

N.Cortis

Nov 26th 2009, 17:13

I wonder if Mr.Martinelli------(from down under) has anything to say about this episode!!!! I am saying this because Mr.Martinelli has always critisised Labour even in the good things Labour has done!! Hope he gives full marks at least on this particular episode.

John Micallef

Nov 26th 2009, 17:07

Kos hux, min jaf kieku illum kemm jigu konsulenti!!!

Ir-Ragel trid tarah b'mod holistiku, nahseb illum kieku jigri l-istess haga lanqas naslu b'dan il-mod.

Prosit Dom obo il-247 passiggier li gew salvati.

C Camilleri

Nov 26th 2009, 17:04

Great Dom, Great Labour! This is what you get with Labour goverment - Safety and peace of mind

Claudio Cauchi

Nov 26th 2009, 17:01

People Loved him, People hated him, but to be honest only this man had the courage to take us trough the worst moments. Legend!