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TAKE THIS PLANE TO HAVANA!

NCJ Number
62921
Journal
READERS'S DIGEST Volume: 94 Issue: 5 Dated: (MAY 1969) Pages: 113-117
Author(s)
I ROSS
Date Published
1969
Length
5 pages
Annotation
MEASURES TO PREVENT THE HIJACKING OF AIRCRAFT TO CUBA AND PROCEDURES FOLLOWED IN THE EVENT OF A HIJACKING ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
TO MINIMIZE HAZARDS AND REASSURE PASSENGERS, ALL AMERICAN AIRLINES AND MANY FOREIGN AIRLINES DO NOT RESIST HIJACKERS. ONCE A HIJACKING OCCURS, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES GO INTO EFFECT. CREW MEMBERS RADIO THE NEAREST AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER WHICH PROVIDES THE FLIGHT PATH AND ALTITUDES FOR THE TRIP TO HAVANA. IN MIAMI, A DIRECT TELEPHONE LINE CONNECTS TO HAVANA'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. WHEN A HIJACKED AIRCRAFT LANDS IN HAVANA, SOLDIERS LEAD THE HIJACKER AWAY AND ANOTHER GROUP ESCORTS PASSENGERS AND CREW MEMBERS TO THE AIRPORT TERMINAL. THE HIJACKER IS DETAINED FOR A TIME AND SUBJECTED TO INTENSE INTERROGATION; LATER, HE OR SHE IS GENERALLY PUT TO WORK AT HARD LABOR IN CANE FIELDS. ALL HIJACKINGS INVOLVE COERCION UNDER THREAT OF VIOLENCE, BUT CHARACTERISTICS OF HIJACKERS VARY. SOME ARE CUBANS EAGER TO RETURN HOME; OTHERS ARE FUGITIVES FROM THE LAW. MOST HIJACKERS OF U.S. PLANES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. CONGRESS PASSED A LAW REQUIRING DRASTIC PENALTIES FOR AIR PIRACY, A MINIMUM OF 20 YEARS IN JAIL AND A POSSIBLE DEATH SENTENCE. ANOTHER SOLUTION IS THE USE OF ARMED GUARDS ON EVERY FLIGHT IN OR TO THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES. ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD DETER HIJACKING, THE COST WOULD BE PROHIBITIVE AND THE PRESENCE OF GUARDS WOULD INCREASE THE CHANCE FOR A GUN BATTLE. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE AVIATION INDUSTRY ARE WORKING ON PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS SUCH AS REWARDS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF WOULD-BE HIJACKERS AND ALLOWING CUBANS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND ON THE FREEDOM AIRLIFT WHICH BRINGS REFUGEES OUT OF CUBA. A MORE PROMISING APPROACH APPEARS TO BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEVICE THAT DETECTS WEAPONS ON THE PERSON OR IN THE HAND LUGGAGE OF PASSENGERS. AN EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO PERSUADE THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION TO SPONSOR A WORLDWIDE AGREEMENT THAT PROVIDES FOR THE COMPULSORY EXTRADITION OF HIJACKERS. LITTLE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THIS AREA, HOWEVER, BECAUSE HIJACKERS CLAIM THE RIGHT OF POLITICAL ASYLUM AND MANY COUNTRIES ARE UNWILLING TO REFUSE ASYLUM IN ALL CASES. AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM IS THAT NO ONE CAN PREDICT WHAT ACTIONS FIDEL CASTRO MAY TAKE WITH REGARD TO THE DEPORTATION OF HIJACKERS FROM CUBA. (DEP)

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