FLIGHT TO OBLIVION / ANATOMY OF A HIJACKING
The true story of a mad nightmare that begins when a Cairo bound airplane leaving Athens airspace is hijacked by three armed terrorists.
A mid-air gun battle with armed security guards leaves the leader of the hijackers dead and forces the plane to land in Malta.
Still in control, the two remaining hijackers demand fuel from the Prime Minister of Malta. When refused they begin shooting passengers.
The nightmare ends hours later when armed Egyptian commandoes storm the plane, killing 56 passengers and one hijacker.
In development by The Producer’s Creative Partnership.
This is a powerful and relevant story - that may never get made because it is true.
Anatomy of a Hijacking is my preferred title because this is a universal story that transcends politics. The surviving Hijacker never revealed which organization they represented nor where they were taking the plane.
The flight was an ordinary economy flight, with passengers of many nationalities, including teachers from the US, a mother and baby from Canada, and even a troupe of young Philippine dancers on their way home from a gig.
Also on board for their protection were armed security police in plain clothes.
A mid-air gun battle left one of the police badly wounded and the leader of the hijackers dead.
The two remaining hijackers maintained control and ordered the plane to land in Malta but Malta refused permission. They landed anyway and when the hijackers demanded fuel, the Prime Minister himself refused their request. They started shooting passengers.
The irony is, their gunbarrels were bent. Four of the six passengers who were executed at point blank range survived.
Of the remaining passengers, 56 were not as lucky. They were rescued by commandos whose orders were to target anyone running from the plane. It was reasoned that only the terrorists would try to escape. Those unlucky passengers died in the resultant carnage and fire. - JAG