The hijack drama which unfolded at Malta airport today recalled a similar incident 43 years ago when passengers and cabin crew on a hijacked KLM aircraft were also released in Malta, and yet another similar case 10 years later.

The plane had been hijacked by three terrorists over Iraq while on a flight from Amsterdam to Tokyo.

It landed in Malta without permission on November 25, 1973 and then Prime Minister Dom Mintoff refused to refuel it until the passengers were released. 

That was the first time that a Boeing 747 - the biggest commercial jetliner of the time - had landed in Malta, which at the time had a small runway thought to be unsuitable for such large aircraft.
 
After protracted negotiations Mr Mintoff agreed to give the hijackers half of the fuel they had requested once they released half of the passengers on board. Once that fuel was pumped on board, the hijackers released the remaining passengers and the remaining fuel was given to them.

After protracted negotiations Mr Mintoff agreed to give the hijackers half of the fuel they had requested once they released half of the passengers on board

The hijackers also asked for an Egyptian consul to replace the passengers as a hostage, but the KLM senior vice president for operations, A.W. Witholt, offered himself as hostage and was allowed on the aircraft.

The passengers, mostly Japanese, were released during the night between November 26-27 - coming down chutes from the plane because Malta did not have aircraft stairs to reach Boeing 747s. They were taken to the Verdala Hotel to rest and recover from their ordeal.

Mr Mintoff was later praised for the tough way he had negotiated with the hijackers. At one time, after the hijackers had agreed to release the passengers, he also requested the release of the air hostesses.

He was heard on the radio telling the hijackers that the hostesses were only of use to them to make tea.

He also told them that he had spoken to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who told him they did not represent anyone and were just young people acting on their own.

"You have no friends, and I am your only friend at the moment. I am trying to help you out but now I am determined to help you only as much as you help me," Mr Mintoff was heard to say on two-way radios.

At this juncture, an interpreter told Mr Mintoff that he would not repeat certain words he had told the hijackers because he feared the gunmen would get furious.
The gunmen did get furious when Col Gaddafi was mentioned. They said the Libyans had treated them badly "not like you."

Eventually the hijackers relented, telling Mr Mintoff that in view of his invaluable help, they were overlooking everything, including their instructions not to release the hostesses, and they were also allowed to disembark.

Mr Mintoff then demanded to be told where the hijackers intended to go. They refused, but eventually agreed to tell him in confidence and he told them he would see to it that they reached their destination in safely.

The aircraft left Malta early on November 27. It flew to Dubai where the hijackers handed over the plane and their remaining hostages in return for safe passage out of the country.

OTHER HIJACKS IN MALTA

A Fokker aircraft belonging to Libyan Arab Airlines was hijacked on a flight to Tripoli and diverted to Malta on October 15, 1979. The hijackers surrendered after a short time without incident and the 49 passengers on board were unharmed.  

Another Libyan Arab Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 727, was hijacked and diverted to Malta on February 20, 1983. As was the case today, the aircraft had taken off from Sebha, but its destination was Benghazi. Those on board included a Maltese air hostess, Maryanne Stivala, 23 of Iklin.

As he had done 10 years previously, Prime Minister Dom Mintoff negotiated directly with the hijackers and refused to refuel the aircraft until passengers were released.

After three days of tense talks during which Mr Mintoff earned the hijackers' trust, they released the passengers and surrendered.

THE TRAGIC EGYPTAIR HIJACK

The last major hijack incident in Malta took place in November 23, 1985 when an EgyptAir Boeing 737 plane was diverted to the island.

Palestinian terrorists started killing American passengers within a few hours as they demanded fuel.

What followed was a 24-hour nightmare that ended in a bloody massacre with 62 people dead when Egyptian commandos stormed the plane.

The commandos appeared more intent on killing the hijackers than releasing the passengers, shooting indiscriminately after letting off a powerful explosive under the aircraft.

Most of the passengers died when the aircraft caught fire.

Up to that time, it was the costliest hijacking in human life anywhere in the world.

Omar Ali Rezaq is escorted to the courtroom at Fort St Elmo.

One of the three hijackers survived, injured, and managed to mingle with the surviving passengers. He was taken to St Luke's Hospital.

In unprecedented scenes, Egyptian commandos followed him but they were eventually persuaded to lay down their arms.

The hijacker, Omar Ali Rezaq, 22, was arrested by the Malta police and tried in a special courtroom set up under tight security at Fort St Elmo.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment but amid international consternation, he was released after just seven years, having benefited from various remissions.

He was quietly released by the Maltese authorities and assumed a new identity in Ghana. The American authorities tracked his down, finally arresting him upon arrival in Nigeria.

He was brought to justice in the US for hijack and killing and threatening American citizens.