Eagle Airways Flight 2279
{{Short description|2008 attempted aircraft hijacking}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = Eagle Airways Flight 2279
| image = ZK-ECN.jpg
| caption = British Aerospace Jetstream 32EP ZK-ECN
| Date = 8 February 2008
| Type = Attempted hijacking
| occurrence_type = Hijacking
| Site = Christchurch International Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand
| Coordinates =
| Fatalities = 0
| aircraft_type = British Aerospace Jetstream
| aircraft_name = City of Rotorua{{Cite web|url=https://www.airhistory.net/photo/322980/ZK-ECN |title=Aircraft Photo of ZK-ECN |access-date=28 November 2023}}
| Operator = Air National on behalf of Eagle Airways for Air New Zealand Link
| tail_number = ZK-ECN
| Passengers = 7 (including hijacker)
| Crew = 2
| Injuries = 3
| Survivors = 9
| Origin = Woodbourne Airport, Blenheim, New Zealand
| Destination = Christchurch International Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand
}}
Eagle Airways Flight 2279 was a commuter flight operated by Air National on behalf of Eagle Airways.{{cite news|title=Second pilot released from hospital after hijack attempt |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200802101238/second_pilot_released_from_hospital_after_hijack_attempt |publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=10 February 2008 |access-date=10 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207170135/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200802101238/second_pilot_released_from_hospital_after_hijack_attempt |archive-date=7 February 2012 }} The flight was the subject of an unsuccessful hijack attempt on 8 February 2008 during which both pilots and a passenger suffered knife wounds.{{cite web |title=Unlawful Interference British Aerospace 3201 Jetstream 32EP |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/321777 |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=31 January 2025}}
Incident
Ten minutes after takeoff from Woodbourne Airport in Blenheim, at about 7:40 a.m. (NZDT), Asha Ali Abdille attacked both of the pilots and demanded the plane be flown to Australia. One pilot was cut in the arm, the other in the leg. Abdille also tried to wrestle the controls from the pilot. There were six other passengers (four New Zealanders, one Australian and one Indian) on board. One female passenger was also injured. The copilot managed to restrain Abdille eventually. Abdille also claimed to have two bombs on board, but no explosives were found.
{{cite news
|title= NZ hijacker 'known to police'
|url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/08/2158366.htm
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080216001550/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/08/2158366.htm
|url-status= dead
|archive-date= 16 February 2008
|work= ABC News
|date= 8 February 2008
|access-date=9 February 2008}} The plane landed safely at Christchurch International Airport at 8:06 a.m.{{cite news
|title= Captain thankful of co-pilot's skills during mid-air drama
|url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/4395081a11.html
|publisher= Fairfax New Zealand
|date= 9 February 2008
|access-date= 10 February 2008
|archive-date= 10 February 2008
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080210075221/http://www.stuff.co.nz/4395081a11.html
|url-status= dead
}}
Hijacker
Asha Ali Abdille, a 33-year-old living in Blenheim, New Zealand, originally a refugee from Somalia, was arrested after the plane landed.
{{cite news
|title= Minister reassures Somali community
|url= http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00099.htm
|publisher= Scoop
|date= 8 February 2008
|access-date=9 February 2008}}
There were fears among the New Zealand Somali community that they would be branded terrorists. The government quickly stated "the government will not tolerate any racial or religious intolerance".
Abdille moved to New Zealand in 1994.
{{cite news
|title= Update: African woman held in NZ hijack
|url= http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=125806
|work= Bangkok Post
|access-date=9 February 2008}} TVNZ did an interview with her in 1996, during which she said she was not coping with New Zealand society, and would like to go back to Somalia.
{{cite news
|title= Close Up on 8 February
|url= http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvone_minisite_story_skin/1575314%3fformat=html
|publisher= Television New Zealand
|date= 8 February 2008
|access-date=9 February 2008}}
On 1 March 2005, the then-Immigration Minister Paul Swain was questioned in Parliament regarding unrelated incidents whether he was confident that Abdille "is not a threat to the New Zealand community". The minister answered in the affirmative.[http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/QOA/c/7/b/47HansQ_20050301_00000154-3-Immigration-Policy.htm Hansard 1 March 2005]
Trial
Abdille was charged with one count of attempted hijacking, one count of wounding one of the pilots with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two counts of injuring with intent. She was remanded for a psychiatric report.
{{cite news
|first=John
|last=Hartevelt
|title=Hijack accused to get psychiatric evaluation
|url=http://stuff.co.nz/4394966a10.html
|publisher=Fairfax New Zealand
|date=9 February 2008
|access-date=9 February 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209221711/http://www.stuff.co.nz/4394966a10.html
|archive-date=9 February 2008
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy
}}
On 22 February 2008, Abdille was charged in the Christchurch District Court with a further 11 charges, including threatening to kill, possessing an offensive weapon, and taking a dangerous weapon onto an aircraft. At her trial in 2010 where she was represented by prominent human rights and criminal barrister Antony Shaw, Abdille pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting to hijack an aircraft, and was sentenced to 9 years in jail.{{Citation
| url = http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=113484&fm=newsmain,nrhl
| title =Abdille trial begins today
| access-date = 28 June 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110928013033/http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=113484&fm=newsmain,nrhl
| archive-date = 28 September 2011
}}{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3917213/Blenheim-woman-admits-hijacking |title=Blenheim woman admits hijacking |author=Martin van Beynen |author-link=Martin van Beynen |date=14 July 2010 |work=The Press |access-date=29 September 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/plane-hijacker-jailed-nine-years-3743133 |title=Plane hijacker jailed for nine years |date=27 August 2010 |work=Television New Zealand |access-date=29 September 2011}}
Impact
Christchurch International Airport was evacuated after the incident. Among those caught up were Transport Minister Annette King, Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven and the England Cricket Team.
{{cite news
|title= Pilots stabbed in New Zealand plane hijack attempt
|url= http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/pilots+stabbed+in+new+zealand+plane+hijack+attempt/1514657
|publisher= Channel 4
|date= 8 February 2008
|access-date=9 February 2008}} This incident prompted a review of aviation security in New Zealand. Released on 23 April 2009, it found domestic flights of fewer than 90 seats with unscreened passengers and carry-on baggage were a high-risk situation.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10568231|title=Domestic flight prices may rise as security beefed up |date=23 April 2009|work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=23 April 2009}} {{As of|2022|post=,}} there has been no change and domestic flights of fewer than 90 seats continue to be unscreened.{{cite news |title=Tourist fears and 15 March 'front of mind' in airport security review |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/tourist-fears-and-15-march-front-of-mind-in-airport-security-review/3PFVRGVN73NZKZON3YF5MJVVAE/ |access-date=11 January 2021 |work=The New Zealand Herald |publisher=NZME |date=5 September 2019}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1084166&size=L&width=1280&height=972&sok=&photo_nr=1 Airliners.net photos of the aircraft ZK-ECN "City of Rotorua"]
- http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10491291&pnum=0
- https://web.archive.org/web/20080209052310/http://www.stuff.co.nz/4392665a10.html
- http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1316907/1574444
- [http://www.stuff.co.nz/4457383a11.html Hand treatment grounds hero pilot]
{{Air New Zealand}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 2008}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in New Zealand}}
{{Terrorism in New Zealand}}
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in New Zealand
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2008
Category:Air New Zealand accidents and incidents
Category:Terrorist incidents in New Zealand
Category:Accidents and incidents involving the British Aerospace Jetstream
Category:2008 crimes in New Zealand
Category:February 2008 in New Zealand
Category:Terrorist incidents in New Zealand in the 2000s
Category:Terrorist incidents in Oceania in 2008
Category:February 2008 crimes in Oceania
Category:Attacks in Oceania in 2008