Investigation Summary
The hijacking began approximately 12 minutes after takeoff when four men armed with knives and what they claimed were explosives seized control of the Airbus A310. Upon landing at Changi Airport at 22:15, the aircraft was eventually directed to an outer tarmac area. The hijackers' primary demands were political, centered on the release of 11 colleagues imprisoned in Pakistan and contact with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. In a 2016 recollection, ex-diplomat Bilahari Kausikan, who was part of the government taskforce, noted that he attempted to contact Bhutto, but her servant refused to wake her. During the standoff, the hijackers demonstrated their resolve at approximately 02:30 by throwing two flight stewards, Bernard Tan and Philip Cheong, from the aircraft at a height of 4.5 meters, resulting in injuries to both. As the deadline approached on the morning of March 27, the Singapore government authorized a military intervention. The Special Operations Force (SOF) utilized a sister A310 aircraft to rehearse the breach. The final assault involved six teams using explosive charges to breach the doors and stun grenades to disorient the hijackers. The leader, Shahid Hussein Soomro, was shot multiple times while attempting to ignite a suspected explosive device.
Final Conclusions
The incident concluded with a successful counter-terrorism operation. All four hijackers were killed by the Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation. The 114 passengers and 11 crew members were successfully rescued, with the only injuries being the two stewards previously ejected from the plane. The weapons carried by the hijackers were confirmed to be knives and improvised explosive devices (large blocks). The Singaporean government received international acclaim for the efficiency of the rescue, and the flight crew and commandos were later decorated for their bravery.
Video Analysis
Operation Thunderbolt: Singapore Airlines Flight 117 | March 1991 — A detailed breakdown of the hijacking of SQ117 and the subsequent 30-second tactical assault by Singaporean commandos to rescue the hostages.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Special Operations Force (SOF)
The elite unit of the Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation tasked with counter-terrorism and hostage rescue.
Airbus A310-324
The wide-body twin-engine aircraft involved in the hijacking, which provided the layout for the commandos' rehearsals.
Interesting Facts
- 01This remains the first and only hijacking in the history of Singapore Airlines.
- 02The hijackers were armed with knives and blocks they claimed were explosives, but no firearms.
- 03The tactical assault by the Special Operations Force lasted only 30 seconds.
- 04The aircraft, 9V-STP, continued in service with Singapore Airlines until 2001, then flew for Air Plus Comet before being scrapped in 2005.
- 05The hijackers were members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Safety Actions & Advisories
Security Protocol Review
Following the incident, Singapore implemented more stringent security screenings for flights originating from regional airports.