Philippine Airlines Flight 812
![]() The aircraft involved, which had since been re-registered as RP-C3331, photographed in 2012 | |
Hijacking | |
---|---|
Date | May 25, 2000 |
Summary | Attempted aircraft hijacking and armed robbery |
Site | Over Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Airbus A330-301 |
Operator | Philippine Airlines |
Registration | F-OHZN (later re-registered to RP-C3331)[1] |
Flight origin | Francisco Bangoy International Airport, Davao City |
Destination | Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila |
Occupants | 291 |
Passengers | 278 (including hijacker) |
Crew | 13 |
Fatalities | 1 (hijacker) |
Injuries | 0 |
Survivors | 290 (all excluding the hijacker) |
Philippine Airlines Flight 812 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport near Manila. On May 25, 2000, an Airbus A330-301 operating on the route was hijacked by a man later identified as Reginald Chua,[2] just before the airplane was about to land. The flight carried 278 passengers and 13 crew members.
Hijacking[]
The hijacker had a gun and a hand grenade.[3] He fired a gun into a bulkhead and demanded to be let into the cockpit.[3] When access was refused, he then demanded the passengers place their valuables in a bag before he commanded the pilot to descend and depressurize the aircraft so that he could escape by a homemade parachute. Since it did not have a rip cord, one was made with a curtain sash on the aircraft.[3] Before he was about to jump, he was not able to overcome the gust of wind from the plane's open rear door, and a flight attendant helped him jump out of the plane.[3]
The hijacker was wearing a ski mask and swimming goggles when he jumped out of the plane together with the valuables he had stolen while the plane was flying at an altitude of 1,800 meters over Antipolo, Rizal. Officials initially identified him as "Augusto Lakandula", based on the name on his ticket. The pilot expressed skepticism that the hijacker would have survived the jump.[3]
Three days after the hijacking, the hijacker was found dead, his body nearly buried in the mud,[4] in the village of Llabac, in Real, Quezon, about 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Manila, near the border with Laguna province. Police authorities stated that he died since he was unable to get his parachute to open. Through his driver's license, "Lakandula" was finally correctly identified as Reginald Chua,[5] who had reportedly suffered financial difficulties.[6]
In popular culture[]
The incident is referenced in the 2013 British film Metro Manila. The film's protagonist Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal) tells the story of Alfred Santos, a textile factory owner who lost his father to a gang hired by a rival factory. Having forced to shut down his business due to continuous threats by his rival, Santos hijacked an airliner and ordered the passengers to surrender their money and valuables before jumping off the plane to his death.
References[]
- ^ "Hijacker jumps off PAL jet after robbery". The Philippine Star. 2000-05-26. Archived from the original on 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
- ^ "Brother says Philippine hijacker wanted to be a skydiver". Associated Press. 2000-05-30. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ a b c d e "Philippines hijacker bails out". BBC News. BBC. 2000-05-25. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
- ^ "Body of Philippine hijacker found".
- ^ "Philippine Hijacker Found Buried In Mud". CNN. 2000-05-26. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
- ^ "Body of Philippine hijacker found".
External links[]
- Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A330
- Aircraft hijackings
- Aviation accidents and incidents in the Philippines
- Aviation accidents and incidents in 2000
- Philippine Airlines accidents and incidents
- Robberies in the Philippines
- 2000 crimes in the Philippines
- 2000 disasters in the Philippines
- May 2000 events in Asia