We are all dying now, said the pilot

NEW DELHI, Dec 29 (PTI) — “We are all dying now ..... We are going to take off from here,” the pilot of the hijacked Indian Airlines aircraft said in his last, desperate message to the control towers at Amritsar before taking off at gunpoint.

The hijackers did not want to land anywhere in India, after commandeering the Kathmandu-Delhi flight IC-814 in the skies over Lucknow on Christmas eve. But they had to touch down at Amritsar’s Raja Sansi Airport for refuelling.

Even as the authorities in Delhi directed that the plane be immobilised after it had landed at Amritsar and the Punjab Police was planning to do so when a refuelling tank went near the aircraft, the hijackers suddenly forced the pilot to take off for Lahore.

The desperate hurry and the reckless mood in which the hijackers were brought out from the following transcript of the communication between the plane and Air Traffic Controller’s at Amritsar:

6.18 pm: IC-814 (to control tower): CFM (confirm) with OPLA (Lahore). We are in contact with OPLA. OPLA is not allowing us to land and we have only 40 minutes fuel. They are insisting us to go to OPLA and they are not allowing us to land on Indian soil.

6.21 pm: IC-814: Intentions are very strong as they have to land in OPLA only. Otherwise they are ready to crash anywhere. They do not want to land in India.

6.26 pm: IC-814: We have fuel only for half-an-hour. Please coordinate with OPLA. Please get our permission to land at OPLA. They are very silly and they will kill us one by one.

6.31 pm: IC-814: Kindly inform OPLA and request OPLA to let us land there in OPLA because their conscience is bad, they have already selected 10 persons to kill.

6.32 pm: IC-814: There is only 15 minutes of fuel left over. With this we can remain 15 minutes in air. After that we don’t have fuel. Make sure we land in OPLA as they want to land in OPLA and not anywhere in India.

6.45 pm: IC-814: They want fuel tanker. If they are going to park on runway itself, if you have to position us, fuel tanker-fuel tanker. They have everything. Revolvers, AK-47, gernades, everything in hand, everything open. They want refuelling done immediately.

6.48 pm: IC-814: Go ahead. As per them (hijackers), if there will be any movement so first of all, they will kill one of us — of the cockpit crew and they will kill 10 passengers which they have already selected.

7.05 pm: IC-814: They have only five minutes. Please send it fast. Please send it fast. They have only five minutes Roger, Sir. Please send within five minutes otherwise they are going to blow one of us. Please send it fast immediately, otherwise one of us will be shot down.

Amritsar ATC: Immediately, Sir. As soon as they (oil tanker) will come, they will immediately be on site.

IC-814: Immediately, please send them fast. Request medium of conversation — Hindi, Roger, Sir.

Amritsar ATC: Affirmative, Sir. We have already informed Indian Oil Company. They should be coming on the way because this is not the usual time of landing. Indian Oil was closed. We have alerted them. Ok.

7.07 pm: IC-814: As per them (hijackers) “Agar kisi ne ustadi dikhane ki koshish ki, sab ko bhoon ke rakh dhenge” (if anybody will try to act smart, we will kill all of them). They have grenades in their hands and revolvers and AK-47. Everything in their hand and we can see that. Roger.

7.11 pm: IC-814: Only refuelling bowser should be there. Nothing else.

Amritsar ATC: Affirmative Sir. Only refuelling bowser will come to you, we confirm that.

IC-814: Please send it fast, send it fast, send it fast. Now guns are on our heads.

Amritsar ATC: We are sending it very fast.

IC-814: Everybody will be shot down in another three to five minutes. Kindly please send refueller.

7.15 pm: IC-814: Why are you taking that much time. Guns are on our heads now.

7.21 pm: IC-814: We have to see the bowser. Once we make 180 degree. Roger. If he does not see the bowser, he will kill us now.

7.23 pm: IC-814: They are going to kill us any time. Please send the bowser. They have started killing now. Where is oh........ Where is the bowser now? Please tell us.

7.24 pm: IC-814: Guns are on our shoulders. Please send the bowser fast.

7.25 pm: IC-814: Amrit — Please send the bowser now.

Amritsar ATC: Affirmative Sir. Sending the bowser.

IC-814: Where is the bowser? Where is the bowser (crying voice), yaar. He has started killing the passengers. Why don’t you understand our problem. Where is bowser, yaar?

7.25 pm: IC-814: He has already killed a passenger now. Why don’t you understand. Now we have stopped. Send the bowser fast. Please. Where is the bowser?

7.42 pm: IC-814: Four passengers have been killed now. Why have you not responded. The bowser is not coming here. What is the problem?

7.44 pm: IC-814: They have killed four persons. They have started killing. They will kill everybody now.

7.49 pm: IC-814: We are taking off from present position (crying background noise heard on radio transmission in tower). We are taking off. We are all dying now. No bowser. We are going to take off from here.