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Today we will review what has been the history of kidnappings of commercial aircraft that arose many years ago in Ecuador.
In that decade of years 60 and 70 Ecuadorian airlines were not free from the aircraft hijackings with their respective human and material consequences, events that were carried out mostly by pirates with a "communist dye" with their desire to go to that Caribbean country.
Performed by: Aeronautical Historian Guido Chávez with personal information and other sources.
Photographs: personal file of Guido Chavez, thanks to the authors.
History of aerial kidnappings in Ecuador
This article will be developed by the airline since I consider that it is the best way to review the history of this part of Ecuadorian aviation..
Condor Airlines
Monday 9 July 1979, Fairchild F-27F c/n 34 HC-BGI departure airport El Rosal city of Tulcán (SETU) bound for Quito, Marshal Sucre (FOLLOW).
With a gun in hand and in the other a stick of dynamite, the hijacker informs the stewardess that there is a bomb on the plane and that he inform the pilot that he should fly to Costa Rica. They fly to Quito in order to refuel to meet the pirate's demand, already in Quito the passengers were able to leave the plane, however the hijacker manages to fire two shots without any effect and tries to light the cartridge but the lighter does not work, being subdued by the co-pilot and then being detained by the police.
The motive for this kidnapping is not determined or at least it was not made public, there were no fatalities or material damage.
ECUADORIAN AVIATION
Monday 19 of January of 1969, Lockheed L-188A Electra c/n 1002 HC-AMS departure airport Simón Bolívar Guayaquil (SEGU) bound for Quito, Marshal Sucre (FOLLOW).
He previously completed the flight from Miami to Guayaquil, but in the middle of the flight to Quito 10 hijackers take the plane and force the pilot to go to Cuba making a stopover in Barranquilla to refuel, they traveled on this plane 83 people, 5 of the crew, among the passengers was Armando Espinel, secretary of the then president Velasco Ibarra. They came to Cuba to fulfill their dream and the hostages were released, there were no fatalities or material damage.
Thursday 23 May 1972, Douglas DC-6 c/n 42858 HC-AQA departure airport Quito
Marshal Sucre (FOLLOW) bound for Guayaquil (SEGU).
An elementary teacher from the “Mirror” school breaks into the cockpit informing the crew that the plane is being hijacked., The pilots skillfully manage to notify the control tower of the fact and execute the takeoff maneuver without reaching Vr and abort it, stopping the plane at the threshold 17, FAE commandos surrounded the ship and entered through the cargo area, shooting down the hijacker, no one else was hurt, only the teacher died. Apparently the kidnapping was for monetary reasons.
SAETA
Thursday 13 July 1969 Douglas DC-3 c/n 2682 HC-APT departure airport El Rosal city of Tulcán (SETU) bound for Quito, Marshal Sucre (FOLLOW).
13 hijackers force the crew to fly to Cuba achieving their goal, it is unknown where the technical scales were made, the kidnapping lasted one day.
Wednesday 20 October 1971 Vickers Viscount 785D c/n 329 HC-AVP, departure airport Mariscal Sucre Quito (FOLLOW) destination airport Mariscal La Mar Cuenca (SECU).
Of the 27 passengers on board, 6 they were the ones who hijacked the plane on the flight to Cuenca, they demanded to go to Cuba making stopovers in Tocumen and San Andrés, prior to arriving on the Cuban island, incident that passed without incident.
Wednesday 18 of January of 1978 Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle c/n 35 HC-BAD departure airport Mariscal Sucre Quito (FOLLOW) destination airport Simón Bolívar Guayaquil (SEGU).
Shortly after takeoff, the hijackers forced the pilot to fly to Cuba., making technical stops in Guayaquil and Panama. Advantageously there were no victims or damage to regret.
TAME
Saturday 6 September 1969 Douglas C-47A c/n 1969 HC-AUV FAE-1969 y Douglas C-47A c/n 4342 HC-AUV FAE-4341 departure airport Mariscal Sucre Quito (FOLLOW) in flight to Manta Eloy Alfaro airport (DISTRICT) for the first plane, the fate of the second plane is unknown.
15 kidnappers 13 men and a woman, heavily armed, Two Tame planes are seized, forcing the crew to fly “for a change” to Cuba, The two planes had to make a stopover in Tumaco, Colombia, where the co-pilot of the 1st Sbte plane was assassinated.. Ernesto Báez and injuring the flight engineer, all passengers were forced off the planes the hijackers will continue to their infamous fate on the 2nd plane.
what he left
It could be said that the hijacking of the two Tame planes was the most clever of all those described. Most likely, all these individuals who generated this type of act as a result of their fanaticism under an extreme philosophy achieved their objectives by reaching the island of Cuba..
The important thing is that all these events left lessons and improvements in the different levels of aviation protection and security that we have today..
There are two additional cases that were not generated in Ecuador, but yes in the brother country of Peru, based on the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, are the following:
- 11 of January of 1961
- A Convair aircraft 990 Coronado from APSA airline – Aerolineas Peruanas was leaving the Guayaquil Airport and is kidnapped by a Mexican guerrilla and diverted to Havana., covered the Buenos Aires route – Santiago de Chile – Lima – Guayaquil – Panama – Miami.
- 17 march 1969
- a boeing plane 727 of the Faucett airline is kidnapped in Lima while covering the route to Arequipa and makes a stopover at the Guayaquil Airport to refuel on the way to Cuba.
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excellent post, I remember that at that time my parents flew a lot and they always commented on the fear that they would be kidnapped
Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
With respect to the kidnappings that affected CEA, the private Ecuadorian aviation company, the information that I include was directly from the lips of my father and founder of the Company, before being nationalized, expropriated by the alleged soft dictatorship (Military) led by Rodriguez Lara. That now that there is talk of investing in the country, who wants to invest in a country where there is no legal backing for investments. The governments, including that dictatorship, did not recognize a single penny for that assault.. Regarding the kidnappings, were another variety of assault, the difference is that this was done by the Cuban Communist dictatorship, they prepared, indoctrinated, they were on their way and when they arrived in Havana they were released to the kidnappers, treating them in the best way to encourage a well-mounted evil business. That's how the abuse started, with high prices when receiving passengers in all the comforts they provided, Hotels, food, transport. High prices and abuse in fuel prices for the return of hijacked planes. More extra amounts for the kidnappers. A fine, a farce, A robbery in the best Cuban style!
There is an interesting anecdote that happened on one of the two CEA flights, is that one of the passengers, a distinguished man of our Quito society, I was traveling, but not with his wife without with his Miss. Lover, what you made of this situation, something extremely curious, but the name has never been disclosed, because it was contrary to the ethics and decency that existed in the airlines
carefully
Dr. Raul Gonzalez Tobar
I regret your way of seeing things and obviating the essential, the main thing, I believe and absolutely sure that he does not know the true political value and the historic seizure of power by Fidel, Che and Camilo Cienfuegos, to ignore history is to deny its essence out of ignorance, its values and principles, I recommend reading the Cuban Revolution from the 1 of January of 59 to the present day, Cuba never needed money for its release, only the guts of a very worthy people who have fought against Imperialism of which you are surely a "faithful" follower …. to talk about Cuba you need to know its history and wash your mouth afterwards then rant what you want, but I assure you that everything that is thrown will fall on your pride again
Giancarlo Sanchez F.
Guayaquil – Ecuador
Why did everyone want to go to Cuba??
With respect to the kidnappings that affected CEA, the private Ecuadorian aviation company, the information that I include was directly from the lips of my father and founder of the Company, before being nationalized, expropriated by the alleged soft dictatorship (Military) led by Rodriguez Lara. That now that there is talk of investing in the country, who wants to invest in a country where there is no legal backing for investments. The governments, including that dictatorship, did not recognize a single penny for that assault.. Regarding the kidnappings, were another variety of assault, the difference is that this was done by the Cuban Communist dictatorship, they prepared, indoctrinated, they were on their way and when they arrived in Havana they were released to the kidnappers, treating them in the best way to encourage a well-mounted evil business. That's how the abuse started, with high prices when receiving passengers in all the comforts they provided, Hotels, food, transport. High prices and abuse in fuel prices for the return of hijacked planes. More extra amounts for the kidnappers. A fine, a farce, A robbery in the best Cuban style!
There is an interesting anecdote that happened on one of the two CEA flights, is that one of the passengers, a distinguished man of our Quito society, I was traveling, but not with his wife without with his Miss. Lover, what you made of this situation, something extremely curious, but the name has never been disclosed, because it was contrary to the ethics and decency that existed in the airlines
carefully
Dr. Raul Gonzalez Tobar