Narrative:
Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle Flight 329, a Grumman Mallard, was en route from St. Croix to San Juan when the aircraft was hijacked as it neared San Juan. The hijacker demanded to be flown to Cuba and threatened to blow up the aircraft if his demand was not met. He allowed the pilot to land in San Juan where he permitted the 16 passengers and 2 crew members to exit the plane, apparently believing that the pilot would return with maps and fuel for the flight to Cuba. Negotiations with authorities lasted several hours after which he surrendered. He was armed with an improvised explosive device, which he had brought onboard in St. Croix, and a flare pistol obtained on the aircraft. No screening of passengers was required on this flight. There were no injuries.
| Status: | |
| Date: | Friday 5 June 1987 |
| Type: |  Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard |
| Operator: | Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle |
| Registration: | registration unknown |
| MSN: | |
| First flight: | |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 16 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 18 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Location: | San Juan ( Puerto Rico)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Saint Croix-Alexander Hamilton Airport (STX/TISX), U.S. Virgin Islands |
| San Juan (unknown airport), Puerto Rico | |
| Flightnumber: | 329 |
Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle Flight 329, a Grumman Mallard, was en route from St. Croix to San Juan when the aircraft was hijacked as it neared San Juan. The hijacker demanded to be flown to Cuba and threatened to blow up the aircraft if his demand was not met. He allowed the pilot to land in San Juan where he permitted the 16 passengers and 2 crew members to exit the plane, apparently believing that the pilot would return with maps and fuel for the flight to Cuba. Negotiations with authorities lasted several hours after which he surrendered. He was armed with an improvised explosive device, which he had brought onboard in St. Croix, and a flare pistol obtained on the aircraft. No screening of passengers was required on this flight. There were no injuries.
Classification:
HijackSources:
» Criminal Acts Against Civil Aviation 1987 / U.S. Department of Transport, FAA, Office of Civil Aviation SecurityPhotos
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.
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