# Kuwait Airways Flight 221 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_221 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_221.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_221 > Source revision: 1355086887 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1984 flight hijacking Kuwait Airways Flight 221 9K-AHC, aircraft involved in the incident Hijacking Date Dec 3, 1984 Site Mashhad, Iran Aircraft Aircraft type Airbus A310-222 Aircraft name Kadhma Operator Kuwait Airways IATA flight No. KU221 ICAO flight No. KAC221 Call sign KUWAITI 221 Registration 9K-AHC Flight origin Kuwait International Airport 1st stopover Dubai International Airport Destination Jinnah International Airport, Karachi Occupants 161 (including 4 hijackers) Passengers 153 (including 4 hijackers) Crew 8 Fatalities 2 (Charles Hegna, William Stanford) Survivors 159 (Include 147 passengers, 8 crew and 4 hijackers) **Kuwait Airways Flight 221**, was a scheduled passenger flight from [Kuwait City](/source/Kuwait_City), Kuwait, to [Karachi](/source/Karachi), Pakistan, via [Dubai](/source/Dubai), United Arab Emirates. On 3 December 1984, the flight was hijacked by four armed [Lebanese Shia](/source/Lebanese_Shia_Muslims) militants, reportedly affiliated with the [Hezbollah movement](/source/Hezbollah). The hijacking resulted in a six-day hostage crisis and the murder of two American passengers. The incident is considered one of the earliest major hijackings linked to Middle Eastern militant groups in the 1980s.[1][2] The hijacking also known as **The Kadhma Incident** ## Background Flight 221 was operated by [Kuwait Airways](/source/Kuwait_Airways) and involved an [Airbus A310-222](/source/Airbus_A310) aircraft, registration 9K-AHC, had the first flight in 1983, msn 278. The flight departed [Kuwait International Airport](/source/Kuwait_International_Airport) with 161 people on board, including passengers and crew. After take-off from [Kuwait City](/source/Kuwait_City), four Lebanese men armed with guns and grenades hijacked the aircraft and diverted it to [Mehrabad](/source/Mehrabad), Iran.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*][nb 1] ## Hijacking After taking control of the aircraft, the hijackers ordered the crew to fly to Iran. [Iranian authorities](/source/Government_of_Iran) at first denied permission to land, but eventually relented when they learned the aircraft was low on fuel. The plane landed at [Mashhad International Airport](/source/Mashhad_Shahid_Hasheminejad_International_Airport) in northeastern [Iran](/source/Iran). Once on the ground, the hijackers issued formal demands for the release of the 17 prisoners held in [Kuwait](/source/Kuwait) due to their involvement in the [1983 Kuwait bombings](/source/1983%E2%80%931988_Kuwait_terror_attacks). Over the course of the standoff, women, children, and Muslim passengers were gradually released. However, the situation escalated when two American officials, Charles Hegna and William Stanford (employees of [USAID](/source/List_of_USAID_personnel_who_died_while_serving_abroad)), were shot dead and their bodies dumped on the runway. The few dozen passengers who remained on board—particularly Americans—were reportedly threatened and tortured. "Every five minutes there was a frightening incident. There was no letup at all," British flight engineer Neil Beeston told the BBC. Paradoxically, the hijackers released a statement claiming: "We do not have any enmity toward anyone and we do not intend to deny the freedom of anyone or to frighten anyone..." Passengers who remained on board reported being threatened, physically abused, and beaten for speaking without permission.[5][6] ## Iranian involvement The Iranian government engaged in negotiations with the hijackers but did not meet their demands. On 8 December 1984, [Iranian Revolutionary Guard](/source/Islamic_Revolutionary_Guard_Corps) forces stormed the aircraft and freed the remaining hostages. Reports suggest the assault was swift and effective, with minimal additional injuries.[7] Authorities initially announced that the hijackers would be brought to trial. However, they were ultimately released and allowed to leave the country. This led to allegations of Iranian complicity in the hijacking and claims by some passengers and officials that the rescue operation had been staged. At least one Kuwaiti and two Pakistani passengers claimed that after landing, the hijackers received additional weapons and equipment, including handcuffs and nylon ropes used to tie passengers to their seats. One American official remarked, "You do not invite cleaners aboard an airplane after you have planted explosives, promised to blow up the plane, and read your last will and testament. ## Aftermath The hijacking of Flight 221 had significant [geopolitical](/source/Geopolitics) ramifications. It highlighted the growing influence of militant Shi'a groups in the Middle East and their willingness to target [Gulf states](/source/Arab_states_of_the_Persian_Gulf) allied with the United States. The incident also intensified tensions between Kuwait and Iran, particularly as Kuwait was supporting Iraq in the ongoing [Iran–Iraq War](/source/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War). The flight crew and many passengers later testified to the trauma and physical abuse endured during the ordeal. The incident also served as a precursor to a wave of hijackings and hostage crises throughout the 1980s, particularly involving Hezbollah and its affiliates.[8] The [US State Department](/source/US_State_Department) announced a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of those involved in the hijacking but made no military response. Later press reports linked Hezbollah's [Imad Mughniyah](/source/Imad_Mughniyeh) to the hijackings.[9] After the hijacking, the aircraft was held in Iran for 17 months before Kuwait redeemed it on May 7, 1986. By August 1990, the aircraft had been seized by [Iraq](/source/Ba'athist_Iraq) during the [Gulf War](/source/Gulf_War), and was returned to Kuwait Airways in October 1992. The aircraft continued to operate for Türkiye's [Holiday Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holiday_Air&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Sudan Airways](/source/Sudan_Airways) before being converted to cargo for [FedEx](/source/FedEx_Express) in 1999, with registration number N454FE. With its retirement in April 2016, it became the last operational Airbus A310-200 in the world.[10] ## In popular culture The incident was mentioned along with [Kuwait Airways Flight 422](/source/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_422) hijacking in the series Al Jabriya: Flight 422, produced by director [Ashley Pearce](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ashley_Pearce&action=edit&redlink=1), was released on the [Shahid](/source/Shahid_(streaming_platform)) streaming platform in 2023, but was quickly removed from the platform due to backlash from the Kuwaiti government and public opinion.[11] Days of Terror: The untold story of KU 221 & KU 422, a documentary film recounting the incident, was released in 2021. ## See also - [Kuwait Airways Flight 422](/source/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_422) - [TWA Flight 847](/source/TWA_Flight_847) - [1983–1988 Kuwait terror attacks](/source/1983%E2%80%931988_Kuwait_terror_attacks) - [Iran–Iraq War](/source/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War) ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** There are conflicting reports regarding the type of aircraft hijacked. [Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network) and Planespotter.net claim the hijacked aircraft was a Kuwait Airways's [Airbus A300C4-620](/source/Airbus_A300) with registration number 9K-AHG,[3] while many Kuwaiti media outlets, as well as photos from the scene of the hijacking, show the aircraft involved as an [Airbus A310-222](/source/Airbus_A310), registration number 9K-AHC, aircraft name **Kadhma** ([Arabic](/source/Arabic_language): كاظمة).[4] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** *Terrorist Hijacking of Kuwait Airways Flight 221*. Central Intelligence Agency. 1984. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** "The Gulf Horror Abroad: Flight 221". *Time Magazine*. December 1984. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Accident description for Unlawful Interference Airbus A300C4-620 9K-AHG, Tuesday, 4 December 1984"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=327314). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*. Retrieved 9 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["في مثل هذا اليوم.. الطائرة الكويتية «كاظمة» في قبضة الإرهاب"](https://alqabas.com/article/5731373-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%AB%D9%84-%D9%87%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B8%D9%85%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A8/). *alqabas.com*. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *The New York Times*, 23 December 1984 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** *Time,* 23 December 1984 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** BBC World Service 24 Dec. 1984 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Wright, Robin; Rage, Sacred (1985). *The Wrath of Militant Islam*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Frontline2_10-0)** ["Terrorist Attacks On Americans, 1979–1988 – Target America"](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/target/etc/cron.html). *[Frontline](/source/Frontline_(American_TV_program))*. [PBS](/source/PBS). Retrieved 21 April 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["في مثل هذا اليوم.. الطائرة الكويتية «كاظمة» في قبضة الإرهاب"](https://alqabas.com/article/5731373-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%AB%D9%84-%D9%87%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B8%D9%85%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A8/). *alqabas.com*. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["The curious case of Flight 422: Why was the series on hijacked Kuwaiti airliner pulled?"](https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/kuwait-mbc-flight-422-why-was-cancelled). Middle East Eyes. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230329030014/https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/kuwait-mbc-flight-422-why-was-cancelled) from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2025. v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1984 (1984) Jan 10 Balkan Bulgarian Tupolev Tu-134 crash Feb 3 Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul Flight 302 Feb 28 Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 901 Mar 22 Pacific Western Airlines Flight 501 Jun 28 TAM Embraer EMB 110 crash Jul 5 Indian Airlines Flight 405 Jul 29 Aeropostal Flight 252 Aug 2 Vieques Air Link Flight 901A Aug 5 Biman Bangladesh Airlines Flight 426 Aug 24 Indian Airlines Flight 421 Aug 24 San Luis Obispo mid-air collision Aug 30 Cameroon Airlines Flight 786 Sep 18 Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos Flight 767-103 Oct 11 Aeroflot Flight 3352 Oct 19 Wapiti Aviation Flight 402 Oct 23 Joateca Bell UH-1 bombing Dec 3 Kuwait Airways Flight 221 Dec 6 Provincetown-Boston Airlines Flight 1039 Dec 23 Aeroflot Flight 3519 1983 ◄ ► 1985 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kuwait Airways Flight 221](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_221) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait_Airways_Flight_221?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.