III. Fill the gaps with the words and phrases from the box in correct form

To capture    sniffing dog  innocent     to restrain       to use offensive language      to threaten to seize to escalate to reinforce malicious intentions      To use the plane as a lethal weapon to enhance unlawful interference to thwart     To release (2) to release from jail  to smuggle weapon revenge to meet       Agitated ransom to intercept negotiations to target to assault malicious intentions      To pose a threat to draw attention suspicious

 

1. The hijackers refused to ……passengers until their demands were not……...

2. The passenger ………the cabin crew and they were forced to ………him.

3. The air company …….the security measures by ………..the cockpit doors.

4. ………..passenger was prosecuted for using………….towards the crew.

5. ………people suffered actions of terrorist group that decided to take ……….to the city authorities.

6. Government being afraid of……… …..the plane with no communication.

7. The terrorists demanded …………of $ 2 million.

8. Their………were caused by desire to………of the government.

9. They……the aircraft and ….to explore it in case their mates were not………..

10. Despite……… security measures at airport they managed to………onto the board and to ……….the plane.

11. On the 11^th of September hijackers …….and ……….it to particular location.

12. If nothing………they will hold ……..and ……….the hostages.

13. …….passenger …….to the safety of the aircraft.

14. …….detected explosives in a passenger luggage.

 

IV. Read the text and discuss it.

HIJACKING

Hijacking (skyjacking) is a form of terrorism when an armed person or group of people seize the aircraft, threaten the crew and hold the passengers hostages. Thus it is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft.

The origin of the word “hijacking” is not clear and still it’s a real mystery nowadays. But there are some versions:

1. It comes back to bank robbers who used to say “Stick them up high, Jack”, which then was shorted to “ High, Jack”(meaning “ hold your hands high up, it’s a robbery’’)

2. It drives from the verb “ to jack” (meaning ‘‘to rob somebody in transit with the weapon”)

Only in 1960s the term “hijacking” was applied to seizure of the plane.

Skyjacking is committed by various reasons:

· monetary ransom

· seeking for political asylum(Aeroflot hijacking in 1988)

· release of certain inmates (Indian Airlines hijacking in 1999, Air France Airlines hijacking in 1994)

· revenge for political or military government’s politics (September 11, 2001)

· draw government attention to particular problem having some ideological convictions

· intimidation of the population

· unpredicted and unexplained actions of mentally ill people

In order to release the hostages the authorities hold negotiations with the hijackers attempting to meet their demands. If the government deems these requirements rather huge they resort to specially trained and armed services to storm the plane (when on the ground) and rescue the hostages or intercept the aircraft (when in the air) and probably shoot it down in order to prevent usage of it to target particular location.

The greatest catastrophe caused by terrorists is considered to be the 11^th of September, 2001 in New York. There were series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the USA. Four aircraft were captured and being used as lethal weapon were directed to highly populated arrears. Two of them were crashed into the skyscrapers of World Trade Centers, which collapsed during 2 hours causing damage to adjacent buildings. The third plane was crashed into Pentagon near Washington, while the fourth one plunged in the vicinity of Pennsylvania, obviously missing its target (as the passengers opposed hijackers and attempted to take over the control of the plane but failed to prevent the crash).

Following the 11^th of September security measures were escalated

√ bulletproof and locked cockpit doors were installed

√ no access to the cockpit is permitted

√ flying marshals are used by some air companies to deter and thwart hijackers

√ CCTV cameras are installed on the boards for pilots to monitor the situation in the cabin

√ interception of the hijacked aircraft

Hijackers can use various types of weapon – starting from hand guns, machine guns, explosives, stun guns, easy flammable substances, fire crash axes and finishing with pen knifes, plastic knifes and what not.

Taking over of the aircraft is rather complicated situation for the crew, thus standard procedures of the crew can not be estimated and worked out. But in any case the cabin crew will try to inform the flight crew by using special coded phrases which were discussed on pre-flight briefing (e.g. “comrade captain” instead of merely “captain”). Then the captain acts according to his discretion and developing situation. There is no common opinion among the pilots and airlines whether it is acceptable to open the cockpit door if the terrorist threatens to kill somebody from the passengers or cabin crew or not. In any case crew will try to notify ATC, by setting squawk 7500 (if it’s possible –if there are no invaders in the cockpit or they are unaware of pilots’ actions) and comply with the hijackers demands, as the primary objective of the pilots to save the passengers, to get the plane to land safely and then let the security forces handle the situation. Crew members advise passengers to sit quietly in order to increase their chances of survival. Everything is determined by situation by the country rules where it happens. In some countries (e.g. India, Egypt etc.)hijackers, if captured, will be sentenced to death, in other ones (e.g. the USA) the plane will be shot down if it is deemed to become a missile heading for strategic targets. In any case it will be escorted by armed fighter aircraft and will be forced to land. A grounded plane will not be allowed to take off under any circumstance.

ATC after identifying hijacking situation on the board may expect

· course or level deviation without clearance

· usage of non-standard phraseology or absence of reply at all

 

ATC has to

- request crew to confirm squawk 7500 (if the reply is missing or there is a reply-the pilots disregarded hijacking but neglected to change the squawk may determine unlawful seizure)

- inform supervisor (who in his turn is obliged to notify special services and monitor the situation constantly)

- not to initiate any further RTF referring to the hijacking unless confirmed by the pilot (it is banned to use the term “hijack” until it is uttered by the pilot)

- comply with pilot's requests as far as possible

- transmit pertinent information without expecting a reply

- monitor all flight manoeuvres - give room for manoeuvre

The main objective of both controller and pilot is not to provoke the hijackers to inadequate actions. So ATC has to provide simple and clear instructions and not to try to pass coded messages. Of course security services will need information about hijackers demands, their number, type of weapon, place of hijackers’ location on the board etc. But ATC should not collect this information on his own initiative, as it may pose obvious risk for the occupants on the board.

Security precautions include usage of

· Metal detector doors

· X-ray machines

· Restriction of carriage of some goods for the passengers

· Finger prints

· Sniffing dogs

· Video cameras scanning

· Biometrical profiling

While hijackings are extremely rear in aviation air rage situations increase in number every year.

Air rage is the disruptive and/or violent behavior perpetrated by passengers and crew of aircraft, typically during flight. The term “air rage” can be applied to smoking on board of the plane, assaulting the flight crew, acting in a disruptive manner. This includes using threatening, abusive or insulting words towards a crew member, acting in a threatening manner or interfering with the performance of a crew member’s onboard duties

The first recorded air rage event in Britain was May 15th 1990, on flight from Grand Canaria to Gatwick airport by a Miss Theresa Sheffield.

There are different reasons that can cause the passenger fly into air rage:

· Abuse of alcohol in duty-free shops or being served in business class

· Tiredness due to long-rage flight

· Too little legroom

· Refraining from smoking for heavy smokers

· Increased security checks on the ground

· Fear of flying

· Too long delays before the flight

· Side-effects of prescribed medicine that can lead to disorientation and abnormal behaviour

Unruly and violent passengers create a massive safety risk to the aircraft and its passengers. They can also prove to be very expensive to airlines. In some cases, captains have been forced to divert a flight to disembark the violent passenger.

Airlines can, and are beginning to, limit the amount of alcohol that passengers drink on board, and to refuse admittance onto an aircraft if they turn up at the gate drunk.

 

V. Complete the statements.

1. Hijacking is considered to be………………………….

2. Skyjacking may be caused by…………………………

3. On the 11^th of September……………………………..

4. After the 11^th of the September………………………..

5. Hijackers can use various weapon……………………

6. In case of hijacking the crew will…………………….

7. In case of hijacking the ATC has to…………………..

8. Security measures at airport………………………….

9. Air rage is…………………………………………….

10. Air rage may be caused by…………………………..

     VI. Identify the security measures on the pictures. Describe the purposes of each of them.