1970-1979

DATE	AIRCRAFT	OPERATOR	REG.	NOTES
14.09.70	DH Comet	BEA – Airtours	G-AJ__	Aircraft had to return to Malta after a small explosion in one of the engines. Crew received an engine fire warning.
__.02.72	Sikorsky S-55	Autair	ZS-HDG	Helicopter damaged after being blown on its side by strong winds
26.02.72	V. Vanguard 952	Invicta Air Cargo	G-AXNT	Landed with outer port engine feathered.
21.04.72	AB.206A JetRanger	Autair Helicopter Services Ltd.	G-AWOY	Replacement for S.55 ZS-HDG. Jet blast from Seaboard World DC-8-63F (N8635) blew Alouette helicopter against JetRanger.
21.04.72	SA Alouette III	Heli Union	F-BPFF	Jet blast from Seaboard World DC-8-63F blew helicopter against JetRanger G-AWOY. It was flown to Le Bourget on board a Donaldson Britannia (G-AOVF) on 03.05.72. Replaced by Puma I-EHPC of Elitos.
20.12.72	Piper Cherokee 180E		G-AYIC	Aircraft lost on a Luqa to Catania flight.
20.06.73			D-ILFG	One of 27 aircraft from the Dusseldorf Flying Club. Group was on a rally, known as Sport Flug Marl 1973 visiting Mediterranean countries. Pilot injured his foot as he was climbing into the aircraft at Obeia, Sardinia. He was taken to hospital on landing at Luqa in the above aircraft.
29.09.73	Cessna 412		DE-FIR	Hi-jacked on a Palermo – Luqa flight. Hi-jackers changed their minds and went to another destination.
07/08.10.73	DC-6	Fratflug		Aircraft was on a flight from Izmir, Turkey to Tripoli Libya between Sunday/Monday night, diverted due to a technical problem. Left in the afternoon of Monday the 8th.
26.11.73	B.747	K.L.M.	PH-BUA	Aircraft hi-jacked and diverted to Malta. No deaths/injuries. First B.747 to land at Luqa airport. See report about this hijack below.

KLM hi-jack.


The following article was taken from the Oct/Nov 1973 edition of Take-Off.

Since all the local news media and other publications gave their version of the saga of the hi-jacked Boeing 747 at Luqa, it would be very unfitting if our association did not present its own version of the event.

Monday, 26th November.

Three of our members who are always on the alert – pardon the expression – were at Luqa at about 17.30, some twenty minutes before touchdown of the Jumbo, seeking the best positions to observe the landing. Confirmation that the Jumbo was to land at Luqa came at about 16.30, when the captain asked for permission to land. Details of the runway in use, serviceability’s etc, were given, but the “go-ahead” came at about 16.40. The captain announced that he had fuel for 60 minutes plus, and the aircraft was held over the MLG (Gozo) Beacon at 20,000 feet to burn off fuel. The main runway 24/06 is only 7,800 feet in length, and there was some anxiety as to whether the Jumbo would make a safe landing. Fortunately, the pilot made a perfect landing on runway 24 at 17.50. The amount of runway used was just over 5,500 feet. A remarkable achievement on behalf of the pilot and crew.

The Jumbo taxied onto runway 32, opposite the civil terminal and shut down its engines. Immediately, members’ cameras staring flashing and clicking, but very few photos came out properly as the nose wheel landing light nearly ruined all of them. A few good shots were taken only when the refueling bowsers approached the aircraft.

Negotiations were started between the control tower and the pilot, who asked for a B.747 engineer (who was unavailable, as Malta is not equipped to service such a large aircraft) plus 25 Quarts of oil, and 27,000 US gallons of fuel. All personnel and vehicles were instructed by the hi-jackers approach from the front of the aircraft, within the beam of light. Attempts to refuel the aircraft were hampered from the start, because of a lack of trickie long enough to reach the refueling points. The hi-jackers then asked for a KLM official and a diplomat in exchange for the 247 passengers. As no KLM official was in Malta, a DC-9 had to come from Palermo. It landed at 20.45, and parked on the northern taxiway, adjacent to Park 4.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Dom Mintoff, arrived at the Luqa Tower just after 22.00 hours, and immediately began negotiations with the hi-jackers, through their interpreter. After lengthy negotiations, it was agreed that when half of the required fuel was delivered, the KLM official would go onboard the aircraft, and half of the passengers would be released. The remaining passengers would be released as soon as all the fuel had been supplied. It was stated that it would be suicide to attempt to take-off with the fuel and passengers.

Tuesday, 27th November.

After a long night of negotiations and mistrust, the required fuel was delivered and the passengers released, using the emergency chute as no gangway long enough was available. The release of the 8 hostesses was more difficult to obtain, but they were released after lengthy discussions as a sign of gratitude from the hi-jackers for Mr. Mintoff’s co-operation.

At about 07.00 hours, the Jumbo started its engines, made a U-turn on runway 32 and taxied onto the threshold of runway 24. Whilst awaiting clearance for take-off, the tower informed the pilot that one of the nose-wheels was in a dangerous state. Nevertheless, at 07.05 the take off run was begun, and after rolling for about 5,500 feet, an uneventful take-off was accomplished, thus ending 15 hours of hard bargaining and suspense.

After leaving Malta, KLM861 landed at Dubai at about mid-day, took off again but had to return, when no other country gave it to permission to land. The hi-jackers gave themselves up after acquiring assurances of safe conduct out of the country. There the story ends until the next hi-jacking!!!!!!!!!

DATE	AIRCRAFT	OPERATOR	REG.	NOTES
__.01.74	Piper ?			Aircraft departed Ciampino Airport for Malta. Pilot sent a Mayday message near the Island of Ponza, stating the aircraft was on fire, at an 800-foot altitude. Aircraft crashed 50 miles west of Naples at around 20.00hrs. The newspaper report on 30.01.74 stated “up to last night”, so the crash may have occurred on the 28th. Three US nationals missing.
14.01.75	DC-10-30CF	O.N.A.	N1032F	Diverted due to bad weather on a Mecca-Tunis flight.
03.05.75	BAC 111	Air Malta	G-AYOP	Aircraft on lease to Air Malta. Damaged tyre on take-off from Paris. Safe landing at Luqa. Engine needed to be changed. Spare engine brought over by BAF Carvair, G-ASDC, “Plain Jane”.
01.02.76	L. C-130	Saturn Airways		Aircraft hit a lighting pole at Luqa Airport.
__.10.77	B.707	Kuwaiti Airways		Aircraft inbound for runway 14, Luqa Airport. Pilot mistook Ta’ Qali airfield for Luqa, and came close to landing there before the crew realized their mistake. (NOTE: Ta’ Qali is roughly 4-5 miles from the approach to runway 14 – today re-designated 13 – and slightly to the left of Ta’ Qali. Similar incident on 04.05.80. The airfield has nowadays been substantially altered, and there is no chance of this kind of accident happening again today.)
14.11.77	B.720	PIA	AP-ATQ	Aircraft suffered "nose wheel problem” during pilot training, and making an emergency landing at Luqa on the main wheels. Two Pakistani Instructors, and three Air Malta trainees suffer injuries. Photo.
12.01.78	Boeing 737			Aircraft, belonging to a Tunisian airline, hi-jacked over the Mediterranean, was refused permission to land in Malta.
14.01.79				A hijacked Italian airliner is refused permission to land in Malta.
15.10.79	F.27	Libyan Arab Airlines	5A-DDU	Aircraft hi-jacked over Libya and diverted to Malta. No fatalities/injuries, hi-jackers surrendering soon after landing in Malta.