While airplanes are the more traditional vehicle of choice for would be highjackers. In 1985, it was the passenger liner Achille Lauro that found itself commanded by four men from the Palestine Liberation Front. The nearly 40-year-old vessel was on route for Port Said in Egypt from Alexandria when the group was surprised by a crewmember causing them to take control early than they had intended. Taking the passengers and crew hostage, they steered the ship to Tartus in Syria demanding the release of 50 Palestinian prisoners.
When they're prevented from docking at Tartus, the highjacker shot a 69-year-old invalid Leon Klinghoffer in the head and chest before forcing the ships Barbour and awaiting to—the body in the wheel chair overboard. They had first separated Klinghoffer from his wife with whom he was traveling and celebration of their 36th wedding anniversary.
Returning to Port Said, the highjakers negotiated for two days before agreeing to leave the ship and taking Egyptian plane to Tunisia.
But on the 10th of October, US navy fighter planes intercepted and directed the plane to Sicily where the highjackers were arrested by Italian authorities. Although some believed that real leader stayed on the plane with other passengers and escaped.
Years later, the Palestine Liberation Organization paid an undisclosed sum and compensation to the family of Leon Klinghoffer, which went to a fund setup to fight terrorism. They Achille Lauro—after a couple of name changes caught fire off the coast of Somalia and sank in December 1994.
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