Investigation Summary
The flight originated in Stockholm and made a scheduled stop in Copenhagen, where a new crew, including Vesna Vulović, took over the aircraft for the remaining legs to Zagreb and Belgrade. During the stopover, a passenger who had checked in a bag in Stockholm reportedly deplaned and did not re-board. At 16:01 UTC, while the aircraft was cruising at Flight Level 330 over Czechoslovakia, a bomb concealed in a briefcase exploded in the baggage hold. The force of the blast caused the DC-9 to break into three main pieces. The wreckage fell onto a wooded, snow-covered slope near Srbská Kamenice. Vulović was discovered by Bruno Honke, a former World War II medic, who heard her screaming in the wreckage. While some early reports placed Vulović at the rear of the aircraft, she later stated she was told she was found in the middle section of the fuselage, pinned by a food trolley. She suffered a fractured skull, three broken vertebrae, and temporary paralysis, but eventually made a full recovery. The investigation by the Czechoslovak Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the presence of an explosive device, and Yugoslav authorities linked the attack to a series of terror campaigns by Croatian émigré groups against Yugoslav targets.
Final Conclusions
The official investigation concluded that the aircraft was destroyed by an improvised explosive device placed in the baggage compartment. The explosion led to immediate structural failure and mid-air disintegration. While no individual was ever arrested or charged, a 2024 Swedish investigative documentary identified seven members of the Bugojno group as the primary suspects based on previously classified Yugoslav security documents.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
Plane Disintegrates Mid-air at 33000 Feet - JAT Flight 367 — An overview of the bombing of JAT Flight 367 and the miraculous survival of flight attendant Vesna Vulović.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Baggage Compartment
The location where the briefcase bomb was placed; the explosion here compromised the aircraft's structural integrity.
Flight Data Recorder
Recovered and analyzed in Amsterdam, providing data on speed, altitude, and the exact moment of the explosion.
Interesting Facts
- 01Vesna Vulović holds the Guinness World Record for the highest fall survived without a parachute (33,330 feet).
- 02The aircraft was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32, less than a year old at the time of the crash.
- 03A man claiming to be a Croatian nationalist called a Swedish newspaper the day after the crash to claim responsibility.
- 04The sole survivor was in a coma for 27 days following the accident.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Baggage Reconciliation
The incident highlighted the critical need for positive passenger-baggage reconciliation (PPBR) to ensure no luggage travels without its owner, a practice that became a global security standard.
Enhanced Security Screening
Following the attack and other contemporary hijackings, airports began implementing more rigorous screening of checked luggage for explosive devices.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Shootdown Theory
Reference ↗In 2009, German journalists claimed the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by the Czechoslovak Air Force at a low altitude while attempting an emergency landing. This theory was officially dismissed by the Czech Civil Aviation Authority and contradicted by flight recorder data.