Narrative:The Boeing 707, operated by El Al Israel Airlines, was damaged when an explosive device detonated in the aft baggage compartment. At the time of the explosion, the aircraft was ten minutes into a flight from Rome to Tel Aviv above the Mediterranean Sea at 14500 feet. The flight turned back to Roma-Fiumicino Airport.
The bomb consisted of 200 grams of explosives, hidden in a portable record player. It appeared that the record player had been in the luggage of two British girls who apparently had received it from two Arab friends.
Classification:
Sabotage
Forced landing on runway
Sources:
» Aircraft hijackings and other criminal acts against civil aviation : statistics and narrative reports / FAA
»
Israel: El Al Airliner Damaged By Bomb Explosion Returns To Israel Without Passengers. (British Pathé)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Roma-Fiumicino Airport to Tel Aviv-Lod International Airport as the crow flies is 2263 km (1414 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.