Vinalian Airlines Flight 3757

Vinalian Airlines Flight 3757

The aircraft landing in Kila International Airport on the morning of the 3rd of February
Hijacking
Date	2–3 February 1994
Summary	Hijacking
Site	2–3 February: Kila International Airport, Velkarichka, Vinalia
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Airbus A300B2-1C (c/n 109)
Operator	Vinalian Airlines
Registration	V-CDFA
Flight origin	Morechia National Airport
Destination	Kila International Airport
Occupants	212 (including 8 hijackers)
Passengers	200 (including 8 hijackers)
Crew	12
Fatalities	9 (2 passengers, 7 hijackers)
Injuries	36 (20 passengers, 5 crew, 11 STSP, 1 hijacker)
Survivors	203

Vinalian Airlines Flight 8757 was a Vinalian Airlines flight that was hijacked on the 2nd of February 1992 by the South Vinalian Patriotic Council (SVPC) at Morechia National Airport, Morechia. Their initial intention was to take hostage Fedir Mykhajlovych, the son of then current Vinalian Minister-president Vladyslava Danylivna. They sought to hold him hostage to force the release of SVPC leaders, along with ransom for the remaining hostages. After the plane was hijacked and Fedir was not discovered they proceeded with their original plan, after landing in Velkarichka they demanded the release of SVPC leaders and the ransom, but upon delay by Vinalian authorities, and the murder of 2 passengers the Spetsialʹna taktychno-shturmova politsiya (STSP) a counter-terror unit of the Vinalian Federal Police stormed the plane and killed seven hijackers, and injuring another which was later taken into custody.

Background

Vinalia at the time had just celebrated its first election as a newly reunified country the 27th of January, 1994. Vladyslava Danylivna of the Unionist Party had been president of Vinalia in 1993, and previously of the Republic of Vinalia (South Vinalia) from 1988 to 1993. The SVPC had been established in 1989 by former army personnel, and nationalist which had seen the collapse of the military junta of the Kotenko brothers in 1988, and the increasing intention of the Renewal Party of Vladyslava to unify with North Vinalia. The SVPC was headed by a former army general during the junta Andrij Ihnatenko, which had after the return of democracy to South Vinalia been ousted for his position for alleged crimes against the Vinakian population of South Vinalia, during the Vinalian Dirty War. The SVPC sought to maintain South Vinalia's independence and independence from the North, the group had strong connections with the terrorist Episemialist League of North Vinalia, which had conducted terrorist bombings most prominently against the Orlavo Metro. The SVPC had engaged in a campaign of terror in opposition to the attempts at reunification, they claimed responsibility for the bombing of a North Vinalian government building in March 1991, which left 2 dead and 15 injured, they also claimed responsibility for an attempted bombing of a police station in South Vinalia in November 1991.

Following a police raid on a SVPC safe house in February 1993, numerous members and prominent leaders including Andrij were arrested and sentenced soon after. Bohdan Ruslanovych a former member of the South Vinalian airforce, took up leadership of the group and sought ways to achieve the release of SVPC members, and securing funds for future operations. The SVPC found itself involved in the world of organized crime, the common military background of its members made it easy for SVPC members to involve themselves in the growing arms trafficking business in Vinalia. After SVPC agents identified Fedir Mykhajlovych, the second son of Minister-President Vladyslava Danylivna, and his place of residence in Morechia in September 1993 through an acquaintance, they intended on attacking the residence but after discovery of Fedirs flying patterns which saw him travel to Morechia at the end of the month and remaining there for a week before flying back to Velkarichka. Bohdan sought to hold hostage Fedir on his return flight to Velkarichka where he worked in the Ministry of Justice. Vinalian authorities had been following the remaining cells of the SVPC, and had attempted to infiltrate the new group, Vinalian Federal Police was in debate over whether leads on the SVPC could be pursued, as they spoke of SVPC activity in Morechia, a Northern city which the police reasoned to be of little importance to the SVPC.

Hijacking

2 February

On the afternoon of the 2nd of February at 6pm, the 8 hijackers boarded flight 3757 dressed as policemen, and used said excuse to search the plane for Fedir, whom they did not find. Fedir avoided being on the plane, as he had travelled that day to Orlavo instead of the airport as the hijackers believed. Upon discovering that Fedir was not to be found, and increasing suspicion by passengers and crew they decided to enact their plan once in the air. Once the plane was in the air at around 6:47 pm, 15 minutes after take off, Bohdan approached the cabin and sought to speak with the pilots in capacity as a policemen and former airforce member, but after being held back by suspicious crew members he and the other 6 hijackers took control of the plane. Witnesses described that the men brandished pistols from their uniforms, assault rifles, and greandes from their carry on luggage. After threatening to kill crew members, the hijackers took control of the cockpit and ensured that the plane continued flying to Velkarichka, while they used the inboard radio to communicate, the cockpit crew consisted of captain Feodosij Arturovych, co-pilot Ruslan Tymoshenko, and flight engineer Kristijan Galjani. Initial demands consisted of the release of all SVPC leaders currently in jail, most prominently Andrij, and demanding a ransom of VZ100,000 per occupant, which totaled over VZ21 million Zolotans. At first the inboard radio malfunctioned and thus the demands of Bohdan could not be heard, after numerous attempts the radio connection was reestablished and demands were received. Vinalian authorities sought to land the plane as soon as possible as it allowed them greater control of the situation, but could not dissuade Bohdan from landing the plane in Velkarichka. Vinalian authorities moved towards Velkarichka to receive the aircraft, Vladyslava was informed of the events occurring and authorized the police to begin developing plans to storm the plane on the runway, Vladyslave had been briefed on the whereabouts of her son and after his whereabouts were verified by police, fearing that he too could had been in the plane.

Inside the aircraft, the hijackers ditched their uniforms switching to clothes found inside passengers carry ons and instructed all occupants to wear life vests, which they intended to use as a distraction shall they need to escape the aircraft. The hijackers referred to one another utilizing numbers, with Bohdan utilizing the number 5. Dmytro Illich (number 1) the only hijacker to survive event, recalls members of the group confusing numbers between members, as the original plan called for Fedir to be apprehended on the ground and for the group to escape without ever reaching the air. The passengers described the atmosphere as calm and relaxing with crew members allowed to serve meals and drinks under the supervision of the hijackers, Kseniya Kyrylivna a passenger recalls the men trying on suits and clothes from the passengers carry on luggage with one wearing and brandishing an expensive watch he had found. During this time Bohdan remained personally in the cockpit while his second in command, Denys Hryshchenko (number 3) maintained control in the back of the plane. Feodosij described Bohdan and the situation inside the cabin as tense and paranoid, with Bohdan asking the location of the airplane and how long until it landed constantly, such behavior was exhibited with negotiators on the radio from which Bohdan demanded constant answers.

In Velkarichka, by 8:15pm a team of 40 Spetsialʹna taktychno-shturmova politsiya (STSP) members had been assembled, utilizing an Armadillo Air Airbus A300B2-1C parked in the terminal of the airport to train for the eventual storming of the aircraft. Fearing a catastrophe, authorities sought to empty the A31 highway which is the primary route into and outside the airport, paramedics and ambulances were put on standby near the airport and all flights were cancelled or delayed. By 9:50pm the aircraft arrived to Velkarichka, where it was lead away from terminals and other aircraft into a secluded area of the airport. STSP snipers stood near a building with direct sight into the cockpit of the aircraft. Bohdan entered into communications with the negotiation team, which stalled again as the negotiators demanded the release of some passengers. By 11pm, Bohdan agreed to the release of 15 passengers, those with health conditions and old age, in exchange for food, water, and blankets to spend the night, Bohdan established a deadline of 8am before he started increasing his demands.

Passengers and crew

Nationality	Passengers	Crew	Total
Vinalia	133	11	144
Chistovodia	24	1	25
Soravia	13	-	13
Kirenia	10	-	10
Cassier	6	-	6
Dezevau	4	-	4
Satucin	4	-	4
Gaullica	3	-	3
Eldmark	2	-	2
Lavana	1	-	1
Total	200	12	212