As of today September 12: The first hijacking in Greece – EPON’s six youngsters change course on TAE flight

In the early 1940s, the aviation was just starting to consolidate it as a means of transport. The idea that one could understand an aircraft in the flight sounds almost unthinkable. And yet, as it is today in 1948, Greece was at the center of one of the first incidents of hijacking in world civil aviation history. The TAE flight (Postal Airline, Prodromos of the Late Olympic) had taken off from Athens to Thessaloniki. Among the passengers were six young men, members of EPON (a single Pan -Hellenic Youth Organization), a rooted organization in resistance and strong political identity. At that time, Greece was immersed in the Civil War and political tensions even pierced the Civil Aviation area. The six passengers, armed with handguns, announced to the passengers and the pilot their intention: the plane would not head to Thessaloniki, but to Yugoslavia, where they believed they would find a safe refuge. Under the threat of weapons, the crew had no other […]
Source: News Beast

You may also like