28 Years Ago: The Hijacked Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961

On November 23, 1996, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961, a scheduled international flight, embarked on a journey meant to connect Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya, and eventually reach Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with multiple stops. The aircraft assigned to this route was a Boeing 767-260ER, with the registration of ET-AIZ.

This nine-year-old jet had been a reliable member of the airline’s fleet since its delivery in 1987, with a brief period of service for Air Tanzania from 1991 to 1992. Its engines were Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4E, known for their dependability. Onboard were 175 passengers and crew, who had no idea their lives would soon be caught in a hijacking that would end in disaster. It would turn out to be the deadliest hijacking in history until 9/11.

The crew included Captain Leul Abate, a seasoned pilot with over 11,500 hours of flight time—4,067 of which were on Boeing 757/767 aircraft—and First Officer Yonas Mekuria, who had accrued more than 6,500 hours of flight time, including 3,042 hours on similar aircraft.

The flight took off from Addis Ababa at 08:09 UTC, and the initial stages of the journey proceeded without incident.

The Hijacking Begins

Twenty minutes into the flight, at around 08:29 UTC, three Ethiopian men stormed the cockpit. These hijackers, later identified as two unemployed high-school graduates and a nurse, armed themselves with an axe and a fire extinguisher found within the cockpit. They overpowered the crew and forced First Officer Mekuria out of the cockpit, taking control of the aircraft. Over the intercom, the hijackers issued a chilling announcement in Amharic, French, and English, warning passengers and crew not to interfere or they would detonate a bomb. The “bomb,” as authorities later discovered, was nothing more than a covered liquor bottle.

The hijackers demanded to be flown to Australia, where they demanded asylum, a route that was logistically impossible given the aircraft’s fuel capacity. Despite Captain Leul’s attempts to explain that they did not have enough fuel for such a journey, the hijackers refused to listen. They cited the airline’s in-flight magazine, which claimed that the Boeing 767 had a maximum range of 11 hours. This misunderstanding of aviation mechanics and fuel planning made negotiations with the hijackers all the more difficult.

Realizing the hijackers were unwilling to negotiate, Captain Leul devised a plan to avoid disaster. Rather than setting course for Australia, he continued along the African coastline, hoping to eventually find a safe place to land. However, the hijackers soon noticed land outside the aircraft windows and forced him to turn eastward, away from the continent. Leul discreetly aimed the aircraft toward the Comoro Islands, a group of islands situated between Madagascar and mainland Africa, where he hoped to execute an emergency landing.

As the flight progressed, the fuel supply dwindled. Despite Captain Leul’s repeated warnings that the plane could not continue much longer, the hijackers remained adamant about their demand to reach Australia. Two of the hijackers eventually left the cockpit to monitor the cabin, leaving one in the cockpit to oversee the captain’s actions.

Approaching the Comoro Islands

By the time the aircraft reached the vicinity of the Comoro Islands, it was critically low on fuel. The right engine flamed out at 11:41 UTC, leaving the aircraft with only one operational engine. During this time, Captain Leul used the public address system to inform passengers of the dire situation, urging them to prepare for a crash landing. He instructed them not to inflate their life jackets inside the aircraft to avoid being trapped once water flooded the cabin.

Hearing the announcement, the lead hijacker returned to the cockpit and physically restrained Leul from making further communications. The remaining engine soon flamed out as well, leaving the Boeing 767 to glide without power. In these final moments, the captain pleaded for the safety of the passengers, insisting that their lives should take precedence. However, the hijackers continued to interfere, making the already critical situation even more challenging.

The Crash Landing

Captain Leul attempted to land at Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport on Grande Comore island. However, the ongoing struggle with the hijackers caused him to lose visual reference points, and he could not locate the airport. Running out of options, he decided to ditch the aircraft in shallow waters near Le Galawa Beach Hotel, about 500 yards off the northern end of Grande Comore.

Leul aimed to align the aircraft parallel to the waves to minimize the impact, but the left engine struck a coral reef just before contact with the water. This caused the aircraft to tilt sharply, breaking apart as it hit the ocean’s surface. Most of the fuselage sections sank quickly, leaving only the tail above water.

Video of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 Crash

Out of the 175 passengers and crew onboard, 125 perished, including all three hijackers. Many of the fatalities occurred because passengers inflated their life jackets inside the cabin, despite the captain’s warnings. This caused them to be pinned against the ceiling by the rising water, unable to escape. It is estimated that 60 to 80 passengers drowned while still strapped to their seats.

Survivors were taken to the nearby Mitsamiouli Hospital, located just 2 kilometers from the crash site. Later, they were transferred to the El-Maarouf Regional Hospital in Moroni. Two French survivors and 19 injured individuals were evacuated to Réunion, where one of the injured succumbed to their injuries, raising the death toll to 125. Survivors not taken to Réunion were transported to Kenya and South Africa for further medical treatment. Captain Leul and First Officer Yonas Mekuria survived.

The Boeing 767 involved in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 961 had served Ethiopian Airlines for nine years, apart from a brief lease period with Air Tanzania. Its crew, led by Captain Leul, demonstrated remarkable professionalism and composure under extreme pressure. Captain Leul himself was no stranger to hijackings, having experienced two previous incidents during his career. Both earlier cases, in 1992 and 1995, ended without loss of life or damage to the aircraft, a testament to his negotiation skills and calm demeanor.

Both the captain and the first officer of the flight were honored with aviation awards and continued their careers with Ethiopian Airlines. However, Captain Leul Abate regards First Officer Yonas Mekuria as the true hero of the incident. Despite being bruised and bleeding, Yonas courageously fought off the hijackers, creating a critical window for Leul to attempt a safe landing. “He was a life-saver,” Leul remarked.

Youssef Yahya

Youssef Yahya is the CEO and Founder of Aviation for Aviators. He also serves as the Chief-in-Editor of the platform’s website, where he shares his passion for aviation and provides valuable resources for aviation enthusiasts and professionals alike. His love for aviation and entrepreneurial spirit drive him to create innovative solutions, making Aviation for Aviators a unique resource in the aviation sector.

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