Investigation Summary
The hijacking was carried out by 22-year-old Hazem Salah Abdallah (also identified in some reports as Nadir Abdullah), who had checked into the flight in Beirut without baggage, raising initial suspicion. Once airborne, Abdallah assembled a facsimile bomb in the aircraft lavatory using a chocolate box, silver foil, tape, and wires. He forced his way into the cockpit at 15:15 UTC+2, claiming he had explosives. The aircraft landed at Varna Airport, where a deal was struck: the hijacker released all 149 passengers in exchange for fuel and safe passage to Norway. The flight then proceeded to Oslo with only the eight crew members and the hijacker on board. Upon arrival at Oslo Gardermoen, the aircraft was directed to an isolated area to the north of the airport. Following brief negotiations with Norwegian police, Abdallah surrendered without incident. The 'bomb' was subsequently found to be a harmless fake.
Final Conclusions
The hijacker was found guilty by the Eidsvoll District Court and sentenced to four years in prison. Although he claimed to be insane and under the influence of 'evil powers' during the trial, the court determined the hijacking was a well-prepared and calculated act. Following his prison term, he was deported to Lebanon in August 1999. The incident prompted significant debate in Norway regarding asylum policies for hijackers, with aviation unions demanding stricter extradition rules to prevent the country from becoming a preferred destination for air piracy.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Cockpit Security
At the time of the incident, cockpit doors were not reinforced, allowing the hijacker to force his way into the flight deck.
Airport Security Screening
The hijacker was questioned in Beirut for having no luggage but was allowed to board; he smuggled components to build a fake bomb in the lavatory.
Interesting Facts
- 01The 'explosive device' was a facsimile made from a chocolate box, silver foil, black tape, and a switch.
- 02The aircraft was a wet lease operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines for Hemus Air.
- 03The hijacker claimed to be a defector from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
- 04No injuries occurred among the 158 souls on board (150 passengers and 8 crew).
- 05The hijacker was sentenced to four years in prison in Norway before being deported to Lebanon.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Asylum Policy Review
The incident led to political proposals in Norway to legally prohibit hijackers from receiving asylum to deter future incidents.
Anti-Hijacking Exercises
A pan-Nordic hijacking response exercise was conducted at Sandefjord Airport in 1997 to improve regional coordination.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
PFLP Crash Plot Claim
Reference ↗In 1997, Abdallah claimed he was actually ordered by the PFLP to crash the plane into Oslo to protest the Oslo Accords, though he previously claimed he was seeking asylum.
Location
APPROXIMATE POSITION · AIRPORT LEVEL · Coordinates are the estimate published in the wikipedia geotag. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.