Passengers

The flight had 178 passengers most of whom were Indian nationals who were coming back to India after vacationing in Nepal.^[1]

Hijacking

The Indian Airlines flight 814 (VT-EDW) was hijacked on Friday, 24 December 1999, shortly after the aircraft entered Indian airspace at about 5:30 P.M. Indian Standard Time.^[2] The identities of the hijackers according to the Indian Government were:^[3]

1. Ibrahim Azhar, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
2. Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Karachi, Pakistan
3. Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Karachi, Pakistan
4. Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Karachi, Pakistan
5. Shakir, Sukkur, Pakistan

Anil Sharma, the chief flight attendant on IC-814, later recalled that a masked, bespectacled man threatened to blow up the plane with a bomb and ordered Captain Devi Sharan to “fly west”.^[4] The hijackers wanted Captain Sharan to divert the aircraft over Lucknow and head towards Lahore, but Pakistani authorities quickly refused permission as they were wary of being linked with the terrorists. Also, the fuel was not sufficient. Captain Sharan told the hijackers that they had to land in Amritsar, India.^[4]

Landing in Amritsar, India

At Amritsar, Captain Sharan requested refueling the aircraft. However, the Crisis Management Group in Delhi directed Amritsar Airport authorities to ensure that the plane was immobilized, which armed personnel of the Punjab police were already in position to try to do. They did not receive approval from New Delhi. Eventually, a fuel tanker was dispatched and instructed to block the approach of the aircraft. As the tanker sped towards the aircraft, air traffic control radioed the pilot to slow down, and the tanker immediately came to a stop. This sudden stop aroused the hijackers’ suspicion and they forced the aircraft to take off immediately, without clearance from air traffic control. The aircraft missed the tanker by only a few feet.^[5]

Landing in Lahore, Pakistan

Due to extremely low fuel level, the aircraft requested emergency landing in Lahore, Pakistan. Pakistan denied the request fearing that their country might be linked with the terrorists. Pakistan also shut down their Air traffic services, thus effectively blackening the whole of Pakistan airspace for the Indian Airlines flight, and switched off all lights at Lahore Airport.^[6]With no help from ATC, Captain Sharan banked on his visual instincts and began descending on what he thought was a runway, only to find out that it was a well lit road, and ascended the aircraft in time.^[7] On understanding that the only other option for the aircraft was to crash land, Lahore Airport switched on its lights and allowed the aircraft to land. Lahore airport officials refueled the aircraft and allowed it to leave Lahore at 22:32 hours IST. Moreover, Pakistani officials rejected IC-814 pilot’s request to offload some women and children passengers.^[8]

Landing in Dubai, UAE

The aircraft took off for Dubai where 27 passengers aboard the ill-fated flight were released.^[8] The hijackers also released critically injured 25 year old Indian male, Ripan Katyal, who was stabbed by the hijackers multiple times. Ripan later succumbed to his injuries, becoming the first and only casualty of the hijacking.^[9]

Soon after the release of these passengers, the hijacked plane left for Kandahar International Airport.^[2]

Landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan

After the aircraft landed in Kandahar, Taliban authorities, in an attempt to gain international recognition, agreed to cooperate with Indian authorities and took the role of mediators between the hijackers and the Indian government.^[10] Since India did not recognize the Taliban-regime, it dispatched an official from its High Commission in Islamabad to Kandahar.^[8] India’s lack of previous contact with the Taliban-regime complicated the negotiating process.^[11][12]

However, the intention of Taliban came under doubt when its armed fighters surrounded the hijacked aircraft.^[13] The Taliban maintained that the forces were deployed in an attempt to dissuade the hijackers from killing or injuring the hostages but some analysts believe it was done to prevent Indian military operation against the hijackers.