Thiruvananthapuram: Was last Friday’s drama at the international airport here all about a ‘ceased’ flight and a hijack that was never attempted?
The fact that the doors of the aircraft remained open during the fiasco meant that the flight had ‘ceased to exist’ and hence a case of attempt to hijack could not be made out, says Jacob K. Philip, editor of Indian Aviation News.
Since there was no flight, there was no case of a hijack either, he told Business Line.
The Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982 defines a hijack (chapter II-3) thus: “Whoever on board an aircraft in flight, unlawfully, by force or threat of force or by any other form of intimidation, seizes or exercises control of that aircraft, commits the offence of hijacking of such aircraft.”
That means, only an aircraft in flight can be hijacked, says Philip.
The Act goes on to define an ‘aircraft in flight’: “An aircraft shall be deemed to be in flight at any time from the moment when all its external doors are closed following embarkation until the moment when any such door is opened for disembarkation.”
24/10/12 Vinson Kurian/Business Line
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The fact that the doors of the aircraft remained open during the fiasco meant that the flight had ‘ceased to exist’ and hence a case of attempt to hijack could not be made out, says Jacob K. Philip, editor of Indian Aviation News.
Since there was no flight, there was no case of a hijack either, he told Business Line.
The Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982 defines a hijack (chapter II-3) thus: “Whoever on board an aircraft in flight, unlawfully, by force or threat of force or by any other form of intimidation, seizes or exercises control of that aircraft, commits the offence of hijacking of such aircraft.”
That means, only an aircraft in flight can be hijacked, says Philip.
The Act goes on to define an ‘aircraft in flight’: “An aircraft shall be deemed to be in flight at any time from the moment when all its external doors are closed following embarkation until the moment when any such door is opened for disembarkation.”
24/10/12 Vinson Kurian/Business Line
