TWA Flight 355

{{Infobox aircraft occurrence

| name = TWA Flight 355

| occurrence_type = Hijacking

| image = Boeing 727-231, Trans World Airlines - TWA AN1176191.jpg

| alt =

| caption = N94314, the aircraft involved seen here on October 3, 1989

| date = September 10, 1976

| type = Hijacking

| site = United States and Canada

| coordinates =

| ground_fatalities = 1

| aircraft_type = Boeing 727-231

| operator = Trans World Airlines

| plane1_IATA = TW355

| plane1_ICAO = TWA355

| plane1_callsign = TWA 355

| tail_number = N94314

| origin = LaGuardia Airport, New York

| stopover0 = Mirabel International Airport, Canada

| stopover1 = Gander International Airport, Canada

| stopover2 = Keflavik International Airport, Iceland

| last_stopover = Paris, France

| destination = O'Hare International Airport, Chicago

| occupants = 46

| passengers = 41 (including 5 hijackers)

| crew = 5

| fatalities = 0

| survivors = 46

}}

Trans World Airlines Flight 355 was a domestic Trans World Airlines flight that was hijacked on September 10, 1976, by five "Fighters for Free Croatia",{{cite web|url=http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F2/592/13/258617/|publisher=cases.justia.com|title=United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Zvonko Busic, Julienne Busic, Petar Matanic, Frane Pesut, defendants-appellants, 592 F.2d 13 (2d Cir. 1978) :: Justia (United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit) |accessdate=March 8, 2017}} a group seeking Croatian independence from Yugoslavia.

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 727-231, registered as N94314 with serial number 20047. It was manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in 1968.{{Cite web |title=Unlawful Interference Boeing 727-231 N94314, Friday 10 September 1976 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/329316 |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=asn.flightsafety.org}}

Hijacking

The Boeing 727 plane took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport and was headed to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The hijackers were Slobodan Vlašić, Zvonko Bušić, his wife Julienne Bušić,{{cite web|url=http://www.avsec.com/interviews/busic.htm|publisher=avsec.com|title=Green Light Interview with Julienne Bušić|accessdate=March 8, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011115136/http://www.avsec.com/interviews/busic.htm|archivedate=October 11, 2008|df=mdy-all}} Petar Matanić, and Frane Pešut. The hijackers claimed to have a bomb with them as they seized control of the plane in the 95th minute of its flight.{{cite web|url=http://www.twaseniorsclub.org/memories/contrails/twa355hijacked.html|publisher=twaseniorsclub.org|title=TW 355 Hijacked!|author= Angelo Patrizio and Mike Mudge |accessdate=March 8, 2017}}

The group redirected the plane to Montreal's Mirabel International Airport where they refueled and told officials that they had planted a bomb in a locker at Grand Central Terminal and gave them instructions on finding it. They demanded that an appeal to the American people concerning Croatia's independence be printed in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and the International Herald Tribune. The plane was then flown to Gander, Newfoundland, where 35 of its passengers were released. From there the plane was accompanied by a larger TWA plane that guided it to Keflavík, Iceland. The hijackers' initial European destination was London, but the British government refused them permission to land.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090114104511/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,946611-1,00.html Bombs for Croatia (Part I)], Time Magazine

During the hijacking the device at Grand Central Terminal was found and taken to Rodman's Neck Firing Range where police attempted to dismantle it rather than detonate it. After setting a cutting instrument on the two wires attached to the device, the officers retreated from the pit for several minutes. When they returned to the pit to continue dismantling the device, it exploded and killed NYPD officer Brian Murray, and wounded another, Terrence McTigue.{{cite news |author=Weiss, Murray |title=Bid to Free Bomber who Killed N.Y. Cop |newspaper=New York Post |date=August 27, 1998}}

The plane landed in Paris where the hijackers surrendered after direct talks with U.S. ambassador Kenneth Rush, and their supposedly explosive devices were revealed to be fakes, simple pressure cookers.[https://web.archive.org/web/20081208134035/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,946611-2,00.html Bombs for Croatia (Part II)], Time Magazine As the police took Julienne Bušić away, the plane's pilot gave her a hug in gratitude for her calming of the passengers during the hijacking.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110220102544/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,918419,00.html The Hijackee Syndrome], Time Magazine

Imprisonment

All five hijackers were convicted of aircraft piracy and conspiracy to commit aircraft piracy. Zvonko Bušić and Julienne Bušić were convicted of more serious charges of aircraft piracy resulting in death for the killing of Brian Murray. Zvonko and Julienne both received mandatory life sentences, while Pešut, Matanić, and Vlašić each received 30-year sentences.{{Cite news |date=1977-07-22 |title=3 CROATS ARE GIVEN 30-YEAR SENTENCES (Published 1977) |work=The New York Times |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/22/archives/3-croats-are-given-30year-sentences-two-protest-saying-parole.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |last1=Seigel |first1=Max H. }}

Frane Pešut served 12 years in prison. He was deported to Croatia in 2007.{{Cite web |date=2007-02-15 |title=Jutarnji list - Frane Pešut deportiran u Hrvatsku |url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/naslovnica/frane-pesut-deportiran-u-hrvatsku-3842817 |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=www.jutarnji.hr |language=hr-hr}} Petar Matanić and Slobodan Vlašić were released along with Pešut in 1988.[http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Hrvatska/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14098/Default.aspx After 32 years Bušić freed by his wife and the HHO], Slobodna Dalmacija. June 8, 2008. Julienne Bušić was released in 1989.{{cite web|work=Nacional|url=http://arhiva.nacional.hr/articles/view/36577/|trans-title=HHO set to free Zvonko Bušić|title=HHO u operaciji oslobađanja Zvonka Bušića|language=Croatian|author=Robert Bajruši|date=July 30, 2007|accessdate=May 6, 2017|archivedate=July 28, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728160424/http://www.nacional.hr/clanak/36577/hho-u-operaciji-oslobadanja-zvonka-busica|url-status=live}} By the 1990s and early 2000s, the last remaining hijacker in prison was Zvonko Bušić. On several occasions after Croatian independence, Croatian president Franjo Tuđman appealed to American president Bill Clinton for Bušić's release or transfer to Croatia.[http://slobodnadalmacija.hr/Hrvatska/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/16224/Default.aspx Zvonko's dream became a reality], Slobodna Dalmacija. June 24, 2008. In 2003, the Croatian Parliament passed a resolution that Bušić should be transferred to Croatia, which it submitted to the Council of Europe.{{cite web|url=http://www.javno.com/hr/hrvatska/clanak.php?id=162573|publisher=javno.com|title=Zvonko Bušić 18 years longer in jail than others|accessdate=March 8, 2017|archive-date=September 22, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922152811/http://www.javno.com/hr/hrvatska/clanak.php?id=162573|url-status=dead}} The liberal Croatian Helsinki Committee also took up the cause of Bušić's release.

On June 7, 2008, Bušić was granted parole, after serving 32 years in prison.[http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3121625/index.do Paroling of Bušić after 32 years in prison in America] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721055512/http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3121625/index.do |date=July 21, 2008 }}, Večernji list. June 7, 2008. He was then deported to Croatia, where he was greeted by approximately 500 people at Zagreb's Pleso airport.[http://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/clanak/art-2008,7,24,,127772.jl Finally I'm in a free homeland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726231140/http://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/clanak/art-2008,7,24,,127772.jl |date=July 26, 2008 }}, Jutarnji list. June 24, 2008. Among those in the crowd were Dražen Budiša, Anto Kovačević, Marko Perković, and all four of the other hijackers. The crowd greeted him with a Nazi salute.[http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3132295/index.do;jsessionid=FD38123BA3A88FEC7D72E0031861A61D.2 Bušić: I am not a thief that I'd secretly return to Croatia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724195435/http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/news/croatia/3132295/index.do |date=July 24, 2008 }}, Večernji list. June 24, 2008.{{Cite news |last=Drakulić |first=Slavenka |date=2008-08-28 |title=Shadows in the sunshine |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/aug/29/balkans |access-date=2023-03-16 |issn=0261-3077}}

Julienne Bušić wrote a book named Lovers and Madmen about the hijacking and her love for the head of the operation.{{cite book|title=Lovers and Madmen: A True Story of Passion, Politics, and Air Piracy|author=Busic, J.E.|date=2007|publisher=Ink & Paper Group, LLC|isbn=978-0-9769261-0-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nrOhOgAACAAJ|accessdate=March 8, 2017}}

Zvonko Bušic committed suicide on September 1, 2013, by gunshot at his home in Rovanjska near Zadar; he was discovered by his wife. He was 67 years old.{{cite web|url=http://daily.tportal.hr/283397/Former-emigrant-Zvonko-Busic-commits-suicide.html|publisher=daily.tportal.hr|title=Naslovnica - tportal|accessdate=March 8, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130901221715/http://daily.tportal.hr/283397/Former-emigrant-Zvonko-Busic-commits-suicide.html|archivedate=September 1, 2013|df=mdy-all}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090719084417/http://www.tvojakrvimoja.com/ Your Blood and Mine Official Website]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081011115136/http://www.avsec.com/interviews/busic.htm Green Light Interview with Julienne Bušić, October 2004]
{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110920175321/http://www.zvonkobusic.com/ Zvonko and Julienne Bušić's official website]}}

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in the 1970s}}

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in France between 1950 and 1999}}

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1977

Category:Aircraft hijackings in the United States

Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 727

355

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1976

Category:Croatian nationalist terrorism

Category:Aircraft hijackings

Category:September 1976 in North America

Category:Terrorist incidents in the United States in 1976

Category:Terrorist incidents in Canada in the 1970s