Aircraft Hijacking

Aircraft hijacking is defined as the armed takeover of an aircraft. Before the events involving the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, most hijackings involved using the aircraft as transportation and the passengers as hostages. Before the events of September 11, 2001, antihijacking training followed what was termed the “Common Strategy.” This philosophy is based on prior experiences with hijackers. It instructs aircrews to avoid attempts to overpower these persons and encourages actions to resolve hijackings peacefully, even by accommodating the hijackers when necessary. But the goal of the September 11 hijackings was to use the aircraft to perform a suicide attack, rendering the Common Strategy obsolete. Training has been altered and now follows what is referred to as the “Crew Training Common Strategy.” It instructs pilots to not open the cockpit door, and Federal Aviation Administration regulations require reinforcement of those doors. If the door is breached, the flight crew will attempt to protect the aircraft from being taken over. Many hostage situations are resolved with force. The emergence of the field of tactical emergency medical support over the past two decades provides a key role in such operations. The ability to provide immediate, high-level medical attention after entry is made can increase the chances of survival to those wounded in the incident. A variety of injury patterns are likely among victims of aircraft hijackings. Emergency personnel attached to these teams and in emergency departments must be prepared to provide appropriate immediate care.