On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four passenger planes in the United States. Two struck the World Trade Center in New York, and another hit the Pentagon.
United Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew fought back. The coordinated attacks killed thousands and left families grieving across the world. Their scale makes this the darkest entry on this list.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 — 1996
On November 23, 1996, three men seized a flight after departure from Addis Ababa. They demanded to reach Australia, despite warnings that the aircraft did not have enough fuel.
The aircraft eventually ran out of fuel and ditched near the Comoros Islands. It broke apart in the water. Of 175 people aboard, 125 died, and 50 survived.
Pan Am Flight 73 — 1986
On September 5, 1986, gunmen seized a Pan Am aircraft during a stop in Karachi, Pakistan. Passengers faced hours of fear before the crisis ended in gunfire.
Twenty people were killed, according to the US Justice Department. Flight attendant Neerja Bhanot helped passengers escape and died protecting others. Her courage remains central to the story.
TWA Flight 847 — 1985
On June 14, 1985, hijackers took control of a flight traveling from Athens to Rome. The aircraft was diverted between Beirut and Algiers, while passengers endured threats and uncertainty.
US Navy diver Robert Stethem was murdered. The hostage crisis lasted 17 days before the remaining captives were released. Families waited anxiously as negotiations continued.
Air France Flight 8969 — 1994
On December 24, 1994, armed men seized an Air France plane in Algiers. Three passengers were killed before the aircraft reached Marseille.
On December 26, French GIGN officers stormed the plane during a fierce confrontation. They rescued the remaining passengers and crew. Television coverage brought the frightening final moments into homes far beyond the airport.
Air France Flight 139 — 1976
On June 27, 1976, hijackers seized an Air France flight after its stop in Athens. They took the aircraft to Entebbe, Uganda, where hostages were held inside an airport terminal.
Israeli commandos later carried out a rescue operation. Most remaining hostages were saved, but lives were lost. The incident became one of history’s most famous hostage rescues.
Lufthansa Flight 181 — 1977
On October 13, 1977, hijackers seized a Lufthansa flight from Mallorca to Frankfurt. They forced the aircraft through several stops before reaching Mogadishu, Somalia.
Captain Jürgen Schumann was murdered during the ordeal. German GSG 9 officers stormed the plane on October 18 and freed the remaining hostages. For those aboard, an ordinary holiday flight had become days of terror.
