1995 Airstan Ilyushin Il-76 hijacking

Airstan

Industry	Aviation
Headquarters	Tatarstan , Russia
Products	Cargo air transport

Template:Infobox aircraft occurrence

The 1995 hijacking of an Airstan Ilyushin Il-76 occurred on 3 August 1995 when a Taliban-controlled fighter jet intercepted an Airstan Il-76TD cargo plane carrying seven Russian crew members. The aircraft was compelled to land at Kandahar International Airport, which was under Taliban control at the time. The Russian crew remained captive for more than a year before they managed to overpower their captors and reclaim their plane, ultimately flying it back to Russia.

Background

Afghanistan was engulfed in civil war throughout 1995. Emerging from Kandahar in late 1994, the Taliban movement had, by early 1995, seized control of most territories south of Kabul, displacing rival Afghan factions. During August of that year, the Russian crew aboard the Ilyushin Il-76 operated under the Tatarstan-based airline Airstan, which leased the aircraft to Rus Trans Avia Export, a company headquartered in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The crew consisted of Russian nationals: Captain Vladimir Sharpatov, First Officer Gazinur Khairullin, Navigator Alexander Zdor, along with four additional crew members—Askhad Abbyazov, Yuri Vshivtsev, Sergei Butuzov, and Viktor Ryazanov—who were not part of the cockpit team. Their mission involved transporting thirty tons of weaponry from Albania destined for besieged Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani.

Capture and captivity

On 3 August 1995, a Taliban air force MiG-21 intercepted and compelled the Russian Il-76 to land at Kandahar. Attempts to negotiate the release of the crew between Russian authorities and the Taliban stalled for over a year. U.S. Senator Hank Brown endeavored to facilitate dialogue but efforts collapsed due to disagreements over a proposed prisoner exchange. The Taliban demanded that Russia release Afghan detainees in exchange for freeing the aircrew; however, Russia denied holding any Afghan prisoners. Senator Brown succeeded in securing Taliban consent for the Russian crew to perform maintenance on their aircraft during captivity. This allowance ultimately enabled their successful escape.

Escape

The Russian crew had been devising their breakout plan for more than a year. Once Hank Brown arranged for the entire team to access their aircraft regularly, they conducted routine upkeep while covertly readying it for departure. Each time, six Taliban guards accompanied the crew; however, on 16 August 1996, half of these guards left to attend afternoon prayers. Taking advantage of this moment, the Russians subdued the remaining guards, and the pilot managed to ignite one engine using the auxiliary power unit, which itself was activated by a battery. With a single engine operational, starting the other three engines became straightforward. All seven crew members boarded the plane, which swiftly taxied down the runway. Although the Taliban attempted to obstruct takeoff by positioning a fire truck on the runway, the aircraft successfully lifted off, evading the blockade. The escapees promptly left Taliban-controlled airspace and set a course for the United Arab Emirates. Their successful flight was met with joy and relief in Russia; President Boris Yeltsin personally called the crew to congratulate them as they traveled back aboard a Russian government plane.

In popular culture

• In 2001, the men published a book recounting their experience entitled Escape from Kandahar.
• The 2010 Russian film Kandahar, directed by Andrei Kavun, portrays the Russian crew’s captivity and daring escape.
• The account of this event is also featured in Operation Man Hunt (ISBN 978-1-78747-545-8) authored by Damien Lewis

Bibliography

Notes

References

• - Total pages: 308

External links

• Photographs documenting the crew's imprisonment
• airliners.net – images of RA-76842
• Kandahar on IMDb