Sabena Flight 571 Hijacking: 10-Minute Rescue

What Was the Sabena Flight 571 Hijacking?

Sabena Flight 571 took off from Vienna, Austria, on May 8, 1972.

Shortly after takeoff, four terrorists from the Black September Organization hijacked the plane and diverted it.

While Israel appeared to negotiate with the terrorists, then-Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan planned a commando operation made up of IDF elite soldiers to rescue the hostages. The operation succeeded.

Black September Takes Control of the Plane

Sabena Flight 571 had only a few moments of calm after takeoff.

Twenty minutes later, the terrorists entered the cockpit and took control of the aircraft.

Although attacked and threatened, Captain Levy worked to keep the passengers calm and prevent panic. He engaged the terrorists in conversation and reassured the passengers, saying: “As you can see, we have friends on board!”

The hijacking was arranged by Ali Hassan Salameh, one of the leading figures in Black September.

The attack was led by four terrorists, including two women. They demanded the release of 315 Palestinian detainees held for terrorism-related offences from Israeli jails.

Behind the cockpit doors, Captain Levy understood that the terrorists were prepared to blow up the plane if their demands were not met.

The IDF rescues the hostages

The next morning, the terrorists decided to send Captain Levy to talk with the Israelis in the airport with a sample of the explosives that they had brought on board. He took the opportunity to explain the situation on board in detail to the Israeli government: he described the terrorists, and gave essential information about their positions and the location of the explosives. He also said that the terrorists had forgotten to block the emergency exits.

With this new information, Moshe Dayan promised the terrorists they would repair the plane and transport the released prisoners to the airport. False prisoners appeared as well as an airplane, supposed to transfer them to Cairo, landed on the runway.

21 hours after the beginning of the hostage situation, commandos of the elite Matkal unit, disguised as technicians, headed to the aircraft. The commander of the unit was Ehud Barak, with Benjamin Netanyahu under his command. They approached the plane ostensibly to undertake repairs.

Instead, they penetrated by surprise via emergency exits, and opened fire in the cabin.

In minutes, the elite commando unit eliminated the two male terrorists, and arrested the two female terrorists. They saved all passengers with the exception of an injured woman, who succumbed to her injuries a few hours later.

The two terrorists were sentenced to life imprisonment in Israel. They were later released as part of an exchange of prisoners. The first in 1979 and the second in 1983. 

The heroes of the operation: men in the service of the nation

Captain Levy is considered a hero in Israel for his coolness and the quality of information provided during the hostage situation. He was thanked by Golda Meir, the Prime Minister at that time. 

Captain Levy died at the age of 88 in August 2010. Ehud Barak, commander of Sayeret Matkal during the operation, later became IDF Chief of Staff, then Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

Q: What was the Sabena Flight 571 hijacking?
A: Sabena Flight 571 was hijacked on May 8, 1972, after taking off from Vienna, Austria. Four terrorists from the Black September Organization diverted the plane and took the passengers hostage.

Q: Who hijacked Sabena Flight 571?
A: The hijacking was carried out by four terrorists from the Black September Organization, including two women, and was arranged by Ali Hassan Salameh.

Q: What did the hijackers demand?
A: The hijackers demanded the release of 315 Palestinians detained for terrorism-related offences in Israeli jails and threatened to blow up the plane if their demands were not met.

Q: How did the IDF rescue the hostages?
A: Sayeret Matkal commandos disguised themselves as technicians, approached the aircraft as if they were repairing it, and entered through the emergency exits in a surprise rescue operation.

Q: Who commanded the rescue operation?
A: The Sayeret Matkal force was commanded by Ehud Barak, with Benjamin Netanyahu serving under his command.