The Netflix limited series, IC 814: The Kandahar HijackHas gripped audiences worldwide with its Retelling of the horrific terrorist incident that took place in 1999. The series dramatizes one of the most dangerous hijackings in aviation history. This sparked widespread interest and discussion about the tense events of December 1999, including about how reflective the show is of the real story surrounding the incident.
On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight 814, en route from Kathmandu to Delhi, was hijacked by members of the terrorist group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The Hostage situation lasted for a week – The longest hijack in Indian aviation history. It involved a series of tense negotiations, multiple stopovers, and the release of three terrorists in exchange for the safe return of the Indian Airlines Flight 814 passengers and crew. The story is reflected in IC 814: The Kandahar HijackWith the series providing a detailed look at what actually happened.
Indian Airlines Flight 814 was hijacked on December 24, 1999, while flying from Kathmandu
The plane, on the way to Dehli, was hijacked while drinks were being served
The Airbus was en route from Kathmandu to Delhi. The hijacking happened very quickly in the flight timeline. Flight IC 814 departed Kathmandu on 24 December 1999 at 16:00 Indian Standard Time. At 16:39, the plane entered Indian airspace. be The presence in Indian airspace is important Later in the timeline. By 16:53, the pilot announced the hijacking.
Just three minutes later, at 16:56 IST, the Delhi Air Traffic Control was informed about the situation. The calm of IC 814 and serving drinks after takeoff were shattered instantly. The early scenes of the hijacking, as adapted into the Netflix series, have been heavily criticized by viewers.
The perspective of the passengers was probably not prioritized in the Netflix retelling, which missed some crucial details of the events.
This is because the series Depicts the hijackers empathize with the passengers and crew on board. In fact, the hijackers “are brutal and create an environment of fear,” (India today). There was a high level of tension among passengers while the hijackers seized control. The perspective of the passengers was probably not prioritized in the Netflix retelling, which missed some crucial details of the events.
Why members of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen hijacked the Indian Airlines flight
The Harkat-ul-Mujahideen members have a significant list of demands
The Netflix series’ depiction of the events of the IC 814 hijacking has sparked interest in the hijackers’ motives. IC 814 was One of several hijackings What happened on Indian planes From the 1970s to the 1990s (India today). The motives for these ranged from securing architectural plans to exam postponements, and are unthinkable in a post-9/11 world. However, the motives for IC 814 are more extreme.
The hoppers First list of demands was: “The shroud of slain Harkat-ul-Ansar terrorist Sajjad Afghani, who lies buried in Jammu, and 36 terrorists in Indian jails,” (Hindustani Times). The first demand for the former is that the authorities say the hijackers are members of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, a jihadist group that operates primarily in Kashmir.
The hijackers also demanded the release of Masood Azhar, the founder of a Pakistan-based terrorist organization, in a trade for the partial release of the passengers. The Indian authorities refused, however, and demanded that everyone on the plane be released. On top of their release demands, the hijackers wanted $200 million in cash. The hijackers demanded further talks The release of three prisoners. The prisoners in question were Masood Azhar, Omar Shaikh, Mushtaq.
Indian Airlines flight 814 stops and how long the hijacking lasts
Air traffic control in India and Pakistan played a role in where the plane was able to land.
Flight 814’s pitstops were a source of increasing chaos and panic. This was due to the progressive violence on board as the hijackers sought to prove their cruelty. them Wanted to get out of Indian airspace As quickly as possible – they immediately ordered the captain, IC 814 pilot Captain Devi Sharan, to fly west into Pakistani airspace. The sensitive issue of airspace would be one of the main reasons why negotiations are delayed.
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At 18:04, the captain told Indian air traffic control that they had only an hour of fuel left and that Pakistani ATC had refused them permission to land in Lahore. The hijackers finally allowed the captain to land in Amritsar, where the captain requested immediate refuelling. The hijackers stabbed two passengers, frustrated by the delay. Some were placed near the front with their hands tied.
Other stops on the plane’s journey are Lahore at 20:01 and Dubai at 01:32 the following day. 27 passengers were released in Dubai in a trade for fuel. This included a mortally wounded passenger who would be the hijacking’s only fatality. His final destination was Kandahar at 08:33 IST. The Hostage crisis would not end until December 31When the trade was completed.
What happened to the passengers of IC 814: did it die?
The hostage situation was full of tension and violence
There were 179 passengers on board IC 814. There were 17 non-fatal injuries and one fatality. The passengers were treated horribly throughout, at one point going 26 hours without food (The Independent). A survivor, Chander Chhabra, recounted his ordeal on the plane, reported by Indian Express:
“It felt like my life was over. There was hope when we landed at the Amritsar airport, but it turned to disappointment and fear when we took off. We felt betrayed, afraid for our lives.”
Chhabra also recalls that he was one of those moved into business class, A tactic used by the hijackers to separate some passengers from their loved ones and strike fear into the passengers and crew. He knew he was in great danger there and used the weight room before pretending to disappear into an empty economy seat to get out of the business class area. Also in the group that was transferred to business class was Rupin Khatiel, a newly married business executive who was separated from his wife and was shot to death.
What Happened to Hijackers and Freed Terrorists from IC 814 After the Hostage Negotiations
The hijackers escaped after the prisoner trade was complete
Indian officials were under the impression that the Taliban officials would arrest the hijackers. This was based on their surrounding the plane in Kandahar and earlier statements that the perpetrators should either leave Afghanistan or lay down their weapons. When the prisoner trade was completed, the hijackers handed over their weapons to the Taliban.
However, the Taliban did not arrest the hijackers, despite the Indian government clearly conveying this expectation. Instead, the Taliban drove them to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and gave them 10 hours to leave the country. Later investigations revealed the participation of both the freed terrorists and the hijackers in several terrorist attacks.
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One of the released prisoners, Masood Azhar, went on to found a new terrorist outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad, in 2000. The organization waged war against India. Long-term effects like this were a concern for the authorities, but the lives at stake in the hazing were too urgent to ignore. One of the hijackers, Mistry Zahoor Ibrahim, was shot dead in Karachi in 2022. Only two of the five hijackers in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack are still living in Pakistan (Hindustani Times).
Source: India today, India today, Hindustani Times, The Independent, Indian Express, Hindustani Times