List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft 1960 – 1989
April 5 – Kuwait Airways Flight 422, a Boeing 747, is hijacked (by Lebanese guerillas demanding the release of Shi'ite prisoners held by Kuwait) en route from Bangkok to Kuwait, leading to a hostage crisis lasting 16 days and encompassing three continents. The flight, initially forced to land at Mashhad in northeastern Iran, travels 3,200 miles to Larnaca (Cyprus) and finally to Algiers. 2 passengers are shot dead by the hijackers.  The remainder of the 112 passengers and crew, including three members of the Kuwaiti royal family, are eventually released and the hijackers allowed to leave Algeria.