Nigeria Airways Flight 470
1993 aircraft hijacking From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On Monday, 25 October 1993, Nigeria Airways Flight 470, flight from Lagos to Abuja was hijacked by 4 teenagers aged 16 and 18.[1][nb 1]
5N-AUH, the aircraft involved, in 1989 | |
| Hijacking | |
|---|---|
| Date | 25 October 1993 |
| Summary | Hijacking |
| Site | en route |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A310-221 |
| Aircraft name | Rima River |
| Operator | Nigerian Airways |
| Registration | 5N-AUH |
| Flight origin | Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria |
| Destination | Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria |
| Occupants | 149 |
| Passengers | 138 |
| Crew | 11 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 4 |
| Survivors | 148 |
Aircraft
The aircraft was an Airbus A310-221, MSN 340, registration 5N-AUH, powered by two PW JT9D-7R4D1 engines. The aircraft was delivered by Airbus to Nigeria Airways in December 1984, and was used for 22 years before being scrapped at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in July 2006.[2]
Background
Summarize
Perspective
Richard Ogunderu, Kabir Adenugaa, Benneth Oluwadaisi and Kenny Rasaq-Lawal boarded the flight initially planned to fly from Lagos to Abuja containing top government officials including Rong Yiren,[3] the vice president of China, and Nigerian government officials.[4]
The hijackers had planned to divert the aircraft to Frankfurt, Germany. However, the plane needed to stopover for refueling in Niamey, Niger Republic. When the flight landed at the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, the hijackers announced that the flight had been taken over by "Movement for the Advancement of Democracy in Nigeria".[1]
The hijackers demanded that the Nigerian military-backed interim government resign and name Moshood Abiola as the president. The four hijackers said they would set the Airbus 310 on fire in 72 hours if this demand was not met.[5]
After two hours of negotiations they freed 129 people, including Rong Yiren, from the plane and held back the crew and Nigerian government officials.[3]
The four hijackers said they would set the Airbus 310 on fire in 72 hours unless Nigerian authorities agreed to their demands, which at first included the resignation of the military-backed government.[5]
After four days, the gendarmes invaded the plane and arrested the hijackers. The rescue operation killed crew member Ethel Igwe, while Richard was also injured.[6]
Aftermath
The hijackers spent 9 years, 4 months in Niger prison. Shortly after the hijack, Ernest Shonekan's interim government was replaced by General Sani Abacha's government .[7]
Dramatization
- In October 2024, the 1993 Nigerian Airways hijack was depicted in the Netflix film Hijack '93.[8]
Notes
- Some other sources say the group's age is between 19 and over 20.
References
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