Date:	Monday 23 February 1998
Time:
Type:	Avro RJ100
Owner/operator:	THY Turkish Airlines
Registration:	TC-THE
MSN:	E3238
Year of manufacture:	1993
Engine model:	Lycoming LF507-1F
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 68
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	UI
Location:	Diyarbakir Airport (DIY) -   Turkey
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Adana Airport (ADA/LTAF)
Destination airport:	Ankara (unknown airport)

Narrative:
A lone hijacker seized control of a Turkish Airlines (THY) Avro RJ100 aircraft with 63 passengers and five crew members shortly after takeoff from Adana. The plane was on a domestic flight en route to Ankara. The hijacker, a Turkish male, claimed to have an explosive device hidden in a toy panda bear and demanded to be taken to Tehran, Iran. The pilot told the hijacker that Tehran’s airport was closed and persuaded him to allow the plane to land at Diyarbakir Airport in Turkey for refueling. Shortly after the plane landed, 20 passengers were released by the hijacker, but Turkish officials refused to refuel the plane. The hijacker then demanded a separate plane to fly him and seven hostages--the pilot, copilot, and five passengers--to Tehran. As Turkish security forces were preparing to assault the plane, several passengers overpowered the hijacker and he was taken into custody. No explosives or weapons were found on the plane, and no one was injured. The hijacker’s motive is unknown, but he reportedly said that he was protesting the oppression of Muslims in Algeria. On December 15 the hijacker was sentenced to a prison term of eight years and four months.

This hijacking is considered a politically motivated incident.

Criminal Acts Against Civil Aviation 1998 / FAA, Office of Civil Aviation Security

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