Gulf Air Flight 771

Last updated

Gulf Air Flight 771
Gulf Air Boeing 737-2P6Adv A4O-BK.jpg
A4O-BK, the aircraft involved in the bombing
Incident
Date23 September 1983
SummaryTerrorist bombing
Site Jebel Ali (near Abu Dhabi International Airport), United Arab Emirates
Aircraft
Aircraft type Boeing 737-2P6
Operator Gulf Air
IATA flight No.GF771
ICAO flight No.GFA771
Call signGULF AIR 771
Registration A4O-BK
Flight origin Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan
Destination Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates
Occupants112
Passengers107
Crew5
Fatalities112
Survivors0

Gulf Air Flight 771 was a flight from Karachi, Pakistan, to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. On 23 September 1983, while the Boeing 737-2P6 [1] was on approach to Abu Dhabi International Airport, a bomb planted by Palestinian nationalist militant group, Abu Nidal Organization, exploded in the baggage compartment. The plane crashed in the desert near Jebel Ali between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE. All five crew members and 107 passengers died. To date, it is the deadliest air disaster in the history of the United Arab Emirates along with Sterling Airways Flight 296 which also killed 112 in 1972. [2]

Contents

Crew and passengers

The flight's cockpit crew consisted of the following: [3]

The cabin crew were of mixed nationalities, ranging from Filipino, Indian, Pakistani, and American; the sole Bahraini member, Hashim Sayed Abdullah, acted as a deputy purser and worked in the economy class cabin. [4] Two of the crew were from the United Kingdom; one of them, Sally Anne Townsend, was a native of Peterborough, serving as chief purser on the flight. [ citation needed ]

There were 96 Pakistani nationals, many returning to jobs in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain after spending the Eid al Adha holiday with their families in Pakistan. There were also seven passengers from the United Kingdom, one from the United States, and one from Iran. [5] [6] [7]

Bombing

The bomb explosion led to a fire in the baggage compartment. Despite this, the crew managed to send a short distress signal. The aircraft then crashed into the ground, killing all 112 people on board. [1]

Investigation

The investigation was carried out by the American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and they released a 400-page report on their findings, which was not immediately published in the Persian Gulf region. The report was revealed in September 1987 by British politician Sir Dudley Smith, under pressure from the parents of Lyn Farthing, one of the two British flight attendants who perished in the crash.[ citation needed ]

The report included a description of the last moments in the cockpit, including a description of Omani captain Saoud Al Kindy praying as the plane nose-dived into the desert. [4] The report mentioned that everything on board the flight was perfectly normal and voice transcripts showed the crew chatting among themselves. One asked the other if he was on duty the next day, to which he replied "No, I've got a day off tomorrow". That was followed by a sudden interruption and the recording showed the pilots making a frantic attempt to control the plane. [4]

The report indicated a bomb in the baggage hold as the primary cause of the accident, due to the following factors: [4]

Aftermath

The bomb was apparently planted by the Abu Nidal Organization (named after Abu Nidal himself), to convince Saudi Arabia to pay protection money to Nidal so as to avoid attacks on their soil. [8] [9]

Death certificates issued for the passengers on board showed the cause of death as asphyxiation. [4]

As of January 2022, Gulf Air still uses the flight number 771, operating scheduled services between Islamabad and Bahrain. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

Pakistan International Airlines is an international airline which is the government-owned flag carrier of Pakistan. Its primary hub is Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, while Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and Islamabad International Airport serve as secondary hubs.

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Air</span> Flag carrier of Bahrain

Gulf Air is the flag carrier of Bahrain, which was founded in 1950. Headquartered in Muharraq, the airline operates scheduled flights to 61 destinations in 30 countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe. The airline's main hub is at Bahrain International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahrain International Airport</span> Sole international airport serving Bahrain

Bahrain International Airport is the international airport of Bahrain. Located on Muharraq Island, adjacent to the capital Manama and the city Al Muharraq, it serves as the hub for the national carrier Gulf Air. The airport is managed by the Bahrain Airport Company. Established in 1927, it is the Persian Gulf's oldest international airport.

Zayed International Airport, also known as Abu Dhabi International Airport, is the primary international airport serving Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the second busiest airport in the UAE after Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the Middle East and is the hub for Etihad Airways as well as an operating base for Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Etihad Airways</span> Flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates; based in Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, alongside Emirates. Its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Zayed International Airport. The airline commenced operations in November 2003, and is the second-largest airline in the UAE after Emirates.

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1974. 1974 had been deemed as “the single worst year in airline history” although this has since been surpassed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ras Al Khaimah International Airport</span> Airport in Ras al-Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is an international airport located in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 11 nautical miles south of Ras Al Khaimah, on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The airport has two passenger terminal buildings as well as cargo, aircraft maintenance, and aviation training facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Traveller</span>

Gulf Traveller was the all-economy full service subsidiary airline of Gulf Air. Its main base was Abu Dhabi International Airport. It was briefly relocated between Bahrain and Muscat airports after Abu Dhabi pulled out of the Gulf Air consortium in 2005, and in May 2007 Oman also pulled out of the group leaving Bahrain as sole owner of Gulf Air. Gulf Traveller has since been disbanded due to these changes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Air Flight 072</span> 2000 aviation accident

Gulf Air Flight 072 (GF072/GFA072) was a scheduled international passenger flight from Cairo International Airport in Egypt to Bahrain International Airport in Bahrain, operated by Gulf Air. On 23 August 2000 at 19:30 Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), the Airbus A320 crashed minutes after executing a go-around upon failed attempt to land on Runway 12. The flight crew suffered from spatial disorientation during the go-around and crashed into the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf 2 km (1 nmi) from the airport. All 143 people on board the aircraft were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle East Airlines Flight 438</span> 1976 airliner bombing

Middle East Airlines Flight 438 was an international passenger flight operated by a Boeing 720 from Beirut, Lebanon, to Muscat, Oman, with a stopover in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. On 1 January 1976 the aircraft operating the flight was destroyed by a bomb, killing all 81 people on board. The bombers were never identified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TWA Flight 841 (1974)</span> 1974 airliner bombing

On September 8, 1974, a Boeing 707-331B operating as TWA Flight 841 from Tel Aviv to New York City via Athens and Rome crashed into the Ionian Sea, killing all aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the plane had been destroyed by a bomb hidden in the cargo hold. The detonation of the bomb destroyed the systems responsible for operating the plane's control surfaces, causing the plane to pitch up until it stalled and dove into the sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alyemda</span> National airline of South Yemen

Alyemda, internationally known as Democratic Yemen Airlines or just Yemen Airlines, was the national airline of South Yemen. It was established at Aden on 11 March 1971 after nationalizing Brothers Air Services (BASCO) which was a private company owned by the Baharoon brothers. It operated a network of flight routes throughout Africa and the Middle East, with its hub at Aden Airport, the former Khormaksar Air Force Base. Its head office was in the Alyemda Building in Khormaksar, Aden.

Air France has been in operation since 1933. Its aircraft have been involved in a number of major accidents and incidents. The deadliest accident of the airline occurred on June 1, 2009, when Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-203, flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean with 228 fatalities. A selected list of the most noteworthy of these events is given below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterling Airways Flight 296</span> 1972 aviation accident in Dubai

On 14 March 1972, Sterling Airways Flight 296 crashed into a mountain ridge on approach to Dubai in Al Hail, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Flight 296 was a charter flight from Colombo to Copenhagen with stops in Bombay, Dubai, and Ankara. All 112 passengers and crew on board died in the crash which was attributed to pilot error. The flight was operated by a Sud Aviation Caravelle, registration OY-STL. To date, it is the deadliest air disaster to involve a Caravelle and the deadliest air disaster in the history of the United Arab Emirates along with Gulf Air Flight 771 which also killed 112.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771</span> 2010 passenger plane crash in Tripoli, Libya

Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771 was a scheduled international Afriqiyah Airways passenger flight that crashed on 12 May 2010 at about 06:01 local time on approach to Tripoli International Airport, about 1,200 metres short of the runway. Of the 104 passengers and crew on board, 103 were killed. The sole survivor was a 9-year-old Dutch boy. The crash of Flight 771 was the third hull-loss of an Airbus A330 involving fatalities, occurring eleven months after the crash of Air France Flight 447.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UPS Airlines Flight 6</span> 2010 aviation accident in Dubai

On September 3, 2010, UPS Airlines Flight 6, the Boeing 747-400F flying the route between Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Cologne, Germany, developed an in-flight fire, which caused the aircraft to crash, killing both crew members, the only people on board. It was the first fatal air crash for UPS Airlines. The crash prompted a re-evaluation of safety procedures protecting airliners from cockpit smoke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flydubai Flight 981</span> 2016 aircraft crash in Rostov-on-Don, Russia

Flydubai Flight 981 (FZ981/FDB981) was a scheduled international passenger flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Rostov-on-Don, Russia. On 19 March 2016, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating the flight crashed during a go-around, killing all 62 passengers and crew on board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emirates Flight 521</span> 2016 passenger plane crash in Dubai

Emirates Flight 521 (EK521/UAE521) was a scheduled international passenger flight from Thiruvananthapuram, India, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, operated by Emirates using a Boeing 777-300. On 3 August 2016 the aircraft, carrying 282 passengers and 18 crew, crashed while landing at Dubai International Airport.

References

  1. 1 2 "Accident Synopsis". airdisaster.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. Ranter, Harro. "Criminal Occurrence description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network . Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  3. "The Bombing of Gulf Air Flight 771". International History Blog. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Airline crash caused by bomb, says report". Gulf Daily News. 23 September 1983. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 via thecrom.com.
  5. The Gulf Times, Qatar, (24 September 1983)
  6. "112 Aboard Airliner Are Killed in Crash in Persian Gulf Sheikdom". The New York Times. 24 September 1983. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  7. "Investigation into Gulf plane crash". UPI. News World Communications. 23 September 1983. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. "Abu Nidal behind 1983 Gulf Air bombing: Aide". Indiainfo.com. Agence France-Presse. 22 August 2002. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005.
  9. "Al Arabiya show reveals how Abu Nidal blew up a Gulf plane in UAE skies". Al Arabiya. 20 August 2015.
  10. "Gulf Air flight GF771". FlightRadar24. Retrieved 23 September 2016.