Aeroflot Flight 101 Hijacked

Date: December 19, 1985 • Location: Moscow, Russia

Aeroflot Flight 101/435 was hijacked by its co-pilot; it landed in a cow pasture in China, where he was apprehended.

Aeroflot Flight 101/435 was a Soviet domestic passenger flight that was hijacked by its co-pilot, Shamil Alimuradov, on 19 December 1985, en route from Takhtamygda to Chita. Armed with a hatchet, Alimuradov demanded that captain Vyacheslav Abramyan divert the Antonov An-24 aircraft to China. Soviet officials authorized the crew to land in China, and gave Abramyan the radio frequency of Qiqihar Airport, but Alimuradov demanded that Abramayan fly to Hailar instead. The aircraft ran out of fuel, and landed in a cow pasture. Alimuradov was apprehended by the Chinese, and the passengers were allowed to travel to Hailar and Harbin. On 21 December, the crew and all 46 passengers returned safely to the Soviet Union.