AIRCRAFT HEADED VIOLENTLY TO SERBIA (front page of Eleftheria paper on 14-09-1948)

AIRCRAFT  HEADED VIOLENTLY TO SERBIA
 (front page of Eleftheria paper on 14-09-1948)

On September 14, 1948 front page of the newspaper "Eleftheria"(freedom)  in the stands, wrote in bold , capital letters , " AIRCRAFT  HEADED VIOLENTLY TO SERBIA ." It was the first recorded hijacked flights operated passenger service in the world . Perpetrators were six pupils in the class of the Gymnasium of Thessaloniki , all the children of urban families and former members of EPON. Their was aim to be able to pass through Yugoslavia in front of the line and join the Democratic Army of Greece. At that time the Greek Civil War raged and left violently persecuted by government forces , while on the mountain roads were cut off . With the excuse that will take tests  for the University , the first hijackers of history, Alexander and Demetrius Koufodakis (years 21 and 23 respectively ) , Achilles Kletimlidis ( age 19) , Anthony Vogiazos ( age 18) , George twitterer ( age 17) and Spyros Cheilmiadis ( age 18) , originally came to  Athens.

This was only the beginning of the novel and audacious plan. On 13 September at 13:15, the six young people from the airport to board the Greek in an aircraft of TAE, (the first private airline - Technikai airline Holdings), with route Athens - Thessaloniki. Among the names of 21 passengers, was that of MP John the Apostle .

During the flight while the airplane is over Skyros , four of the youngsters stormed the cockpit and armed with pocket knives and a bottle of soda water , asked the pilot to change in and the boat landed in Belgrade . Follow scuffle in the cockpit with the co-pilot , and in that time the radio operator managed to report the incident . The mandate given to " return the plane at all costs immediately Thessalonikin ." At the same time , took off warships SPITFIRE (type) to prevent the hijacking , but it was already too late . The next message broadcast radio was " We are down to earth Oftse Pole 60 kilometers southeast of Skopje " ....

The aircraft 's return to Greek territory marked a series of interrogations by the same minister Aviation and Passed  responsibilities and the pilots who failed to deceive the hijackers and the landing craft in Greek territory . Were suspended and detained . The six young men who were able to arrive by train in Skopje , been judged without their knowledge, been absent from court, found guilty and sentenced to death . Persecution and prisons and also for their families , who did not know anything about the intentions of their children. As a result of the first hijacking in the world , was to intensify checks at airports and their function in the following rigorous framework ....

source: mixanitouxronou.gr