Date:	Tuesday 23 July 1968
Time:
Type:	Boeing 707-458
Owner/operator:	El Al Israel Airlines
Registration:	4X-ATA
MSN:	18070/205
Year of manufacture:	1961
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 51
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	UI
Location:	Algiers-Dar el Beida Airport (ALG) -   Algeria
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Roma-Fiumicino Airport (FCO/LIRF)
Destination airport:	Tel Aviv-Lod International Airport (TLV/LLBG)

Narrative:
El Al flight LY426 was hijacked by three men of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The aircraft, a Boeing 707-400, operated on a passenger service from London-Heathrow Airport, U.K., to Tel Aviv, Israel via Rome-Fiumicino Airport, Italy.
After takeoff one of the hijackers entered the flight deck, clubbed the copilot with the butt of his pistol and ordered the captain to fly to Algiers, Algeria. The other two hijackers threatened the passengers with pistols and hand grenades.
The following day, all non-Israeli passengers were released. Ten women and children were released over the weekend. The remaining 12 Israeli passengers, and the crew of 10 were held as hostages for the remainder of the hijacking.
The Israeli and Algerian governments negotiated the return of the hostages and plane through diplomatic channels. On August 31 everyone was released in exchange for 16 convicted Arab prisoners.
A French crew then flew the seized airplane to Rome the next day.

El Al Israel's Flying Star / by Marvin G. Goldman, pages 83 and 177.
L'Unitá 24-7-1968

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