Braathens SAFE Flight 139
Encyclopedia
Braathen SAFE Flight 139 was an aircraft hijacking
that occurred in Norway
on 21 June 1985. The incident took place on a Boeing 737-205
belonging to Braathens SAFE that was on a scheduled flight from Trondheim Airport, Værnes
to Oslo Airport, Fornebu
. The hijacker was Stein Arvid Huseby, who was drunk during most of the incident. It was the first plane hijacking to take place in Norway; there were no deaths and no injuries. Huseby was sentenced to three years prison and five years detention.
Armed with an air gun
, Huseby threatened a cabin attendant and told the captain to proceed as planned to Fornebu. He claimed (falsely) to have placed explosives on board. His demands were to make a political statement and talk to Prime Minister Kåre Willoch
and Minister of Justice Mona Røkke
. The plane landed at 15:30 at Fornebu and was surrounded by the police. After one hour, Huseby released 70 hostages in exchange for having the aircraft being moved closer to the terminal building. Thirty minutes later, Huseby released the remaining passengers. He drank throughout the incident, and at 17:30, after he consumed the plane's beer supply, he surrendered his weapon in exchange for more beer. The plane was immediately stormed and Huseby arrested.
) with registration LN-SUG. The day before the hijacking, Huseby graduated from upper secondary school, where he studied health and social work. That evening, he purchased an air gun
in Trondheim. The weapon was in his hand luggage when boarding the aircraft at Trondheim Airport, Værnes, where there was no security control. He selected a seat at the rear of the aircraft. While airborne, the hijacker showed a female flight attendant
the air gun, and asked her to inform the captain that he wanted control over the aircraft, but that otherwise all was to proceed as planned. The flight attendant and later the hijacker used the intercom to communicate with the pilot. The police were informed about the incident via air controllers at 15:05.
.jpg)
The plane landed at Fornebu at 15:30, fifteen minutes after schedule. The aircraft parked at a location 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) from the terminal. It was immediately surrounded by police special forces, as well as officers from Asker and Bærum Police Department. Two special-trained police officers were placed in the control tower, where they negotiated with Huseby. Fornebu was closed, and air traffic was rerouted to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
. The passengers were not informed about the incident until the aircraft was surrounded by the police. The hijacker informed the passengers and crew falsely that he had placed explosives in the toilet rooms, but that no one would be hurt if they cooperated. Huseby was dressed in a suit with sunglasses. The passengers on board described his actions as calm. During the whole incident, Huseby repeatedly asked for and drank beer.
Huseby's demands were to talk to Prime Minister
Kåre Willoch
and Minister of Justice Mona Røkke
, both from the Conservative Party
. He also wanted to hold a press conference at Fornebu. Huseby was unsatisfied with his treatment after he left prison. He demanded to receive guarantees for a better treatment and economic security from the authorities. Assisted by a psychologist, the police negotiated with Huseby. One hour after the plane landed, 70 passengers were let out of the plane. The first group were those passengers who had or claimed they had transfers to other flights. In exchange, the aircraft was moved closer to the terminal building. The passengers were picked up by a bus and transported to the domestic terminal, where they were questioned by the police. The remaining passengers were let out thirty minutes later. Only the five crew members remained.
A friend of Huseby helped the police in the negotiations. At 18:30, the aircraft was out of beer, so Huseby made an agreement that he would throw the gun out of the window in exchange for more beer. This was delivered by a civilian police officer. The aircraft was then immediately stormed by special forces and Huseby arrested. No-one was injured in the hijacking.
, was at the time 24 years old. He had just finished studying at a Christian upper secondary school in Trondheim
. He had previously been sentenced five times for violence offenses, including an armed robbery of a taxi and threatening a sheriff with a shotgun. He was beaten and abused by his father, and started drinking as a 13-year old. He lost his job as a seaman due to drunkenness, and was put into a psychiatric institution in 1980, aged 19. In 1983, he was admitted to a Christian school, and had managed to stay away from alcohol for two years, but had started again just prior to the incident. He stated that he was afraid to lose his friends due to his misuse of alcohol.
During the court case, Huseby stated that he wanted help from society and attention drawn to his cause. However, he stated that he regretted doing this by hijacking. He stated that all he wanted was to send a message to the minister of justice and prime minister that he needed help, and that he did not intend that the other passengers be aware of his threats. Huseby stated that the hijacking was spontaneous and that he planned to make an armed robbery or take hostages at the Radisson SAS hotel in Oslo. His defense attorney argued that Huseby did not commit a hijacking in the letter of the law, but had instead taken hostages, which would result in a lesser sentence. The court psychologists stated that Huseby had a difficult childhood, and had been defined as an alcoholic at the age of 17. They considered him to have very underdeveloped ability to make rational decisions and weak mental health. They also stated that he committed crimes to identify himself due to his low self-esteem. On 29 May 1986, Huseby was found guilty of hijacking in Eidsivating Court of Appeal
. He was sentenced to three years prison and five years of preventive supervision.
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
that occurred in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
on 21 June 1985. The incident took place on a Boeing 737-205
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
belonging to Braathens SAFE that was on a scheduled flight from Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes is an international airport located in Stjørdal, east of Trondheim, Norway. Operated by the state-owned Avinor, it shares facilities with Værnes Air Station of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In 2010, the airport had 3,521,734 passengers and 55,747 air movements,...
to Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu was the main airport serving Oslo and Eastern Norway from 1 June 1939 to 7 October 1998. It was then replaced by Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and the area has since been redeveloped. The airport was located at Fornebu in Bærum, from the city center. Fornebu had two runways, one...
. The hijacker was Stein Arvid Huseby, who was drunk during most of the incident. It was the first plane hijacking to take place in Norway; there were no deaths and no injuries. Huseby was sentenced to three years prison and five years detention.
Armed with an air gun
Air gun
An air gun is a rifle , pistol , or shotgun that fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas, in contrast to a firearm, which burns a propellant. Most air guns use metallic projectiles as ammunition. Air guns that only use plastic projectiles are classified as airsoft...
, Huseby threatened a cabin attendant and told the captain to proceed as planned to Fornebu. He claimed (falsely) to have placed explosives on board. His demands were to make a political statement and talk to Prime Minister Kåre Willoch
Kåre Willoch
Kåre Isaachsen Willoch is a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He served as Minister of Trade and Shipping in 1963 and 1965–1970, and as Prime Minister of Norway from 1981 to 1986...
and Minister of Justice Mona Røkke
Mona Røkke
Mona Røkke is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. She was Minister of Justice 1981-1985.In March 2010 her successor as County Governor was announced: Erling Lae.-References:...
. The plane landed at 15:30 at Fornebu and was surrounded by the police. After one hour, Huseby released 70 hostages in exchange for having the aircraft being moved closer to the terminal building. Thirty minutes later, Huseby released the remaining passengers. He drank throughout the incident, and at 17:30, after he consumed the plane's beer supply, he surrendered his weapon in exchange for more beer. The plane was immediately stormed and Huseby arrested.
Hijacking
The hijacking occurred on board Braathens SAFE Flight 139 en route from Trondheim Airport, Værnes to Oslo Airport, Fornebu. The aircraft was a Boeing 737-205, named Harald Gille (after Harald IV of NorwayHarald IV of Norway
Harald Gille was king of Norway from 1130 until his death in 1136. His byname Gille is probably from Gilla Críst, i.e. servant of Christ.-Background:...
) with registration LN-SUG. The day before the hijacking, Huseby graduated from upper secondary school, where he studied health and social work. That evening, he purchased an air gun
Air gun
An air gun is a rifle , pistol , or shotgun that fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas, in contrast to a firearm, which burns a propellant. Most air guns use metallic projectiles as ammunition. Air guns that only use plastic projectiles are classified as airsoft...
in Trondheim. The weapon was in his hand luggage when boarding the aircraft at Trondheim Airport, Værnes, where there was no security control. He selected a seat at the rear of the aircraft. While airborne, the hijacker showed a female flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
the air gun, and asked her to inform the captain that he wanted control over the aircraft, but that otherwise all was to proceed as planned. The flight attendant and later the hijacker used the intercom to communicate with the pilot. The police were informed about the incident via air controllers at 15:05.
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
. The passengers were not informed about the incident until the aircraft was surrounded by the police. The hijacker informed the passengers and crew falsely that he had placed explosives in the toilet rooms, but that no one would be hurt if they cooperated. Huseby was dressed in a suit with sunglasses. The passengers on board described his actions as calm. During the whole incident, Huseby repeatedly asked for and drank beer.
Huseby's demands were to talk to Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
Kåre Willoch
Kåre Willoch
Kåre Isaachsen Willoch is a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He served as Minister of Trade and Shipping in 1963 and 1965–1970, and as Prime Minister of Norway from 1981 to 1986...
and Minister of Justice Mona Røkke
Mona Røkke
Mona Røkke is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. She was Minister of Justice 1981-1985.In March 2010 her successor as County Governor was announced: Erling Lae.-References:...
, both from the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
. He also wanted to hold a press conference at Fornebu. Huseby was unsatisfied with his treatment after he left prison. He demanded to receive guarantees for a better treatment and economic security from the authorities. Assisted by a psychologist, the police negotiated with Huseby. One hour after the plane landed, 70 passengers were let out of the plane. The first group were those passengers who had or claimed they had transfers to other flights. In exchange, the aircraft was moved closer to the terminal building. The passengers were picked up by a bus and transported to the domestic terminal, where they were questioned by the police. The remaining passengers were let out thirty minutes later. Only the five crew members remained.
A friend of Huseby helped the police in the negotiations. At 18:30, the aircraft was out of beer, so Huseby made an agreement that he would throw the gun out of the window in exchange for more beer. This was delivered by a civilian police officer. The aircraft was then immediately stormed by special forces and Huseby arrested. No-one was injured in the hijacking.
Aftermath
Stein Arvid Huseby, originally from KarmøyKarmøy
Karmøy is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located southwest of the city of Haugesund in the traditional district of Haugaland....
, was at the time 24 years old. He had just finished studying at a Christian upper secondary school in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. He had previously been sentenced five times for violence offenses, including an armed robbery of a taxi and threatening a sheriff with a shotgun. He was beaten and abused by his father, and started drinking as a 13-year old. He lost his job as a seaman due to drunkenness, and was put into a psychiatric institution in 1980, aged 19. In 1983, he was admitted to a Christian school, and had managed to stay away from alcohol for two years, but had started again just prior to the incident. He stated that he was afraid to lose his friends due to his misuse of alcohol.
During the court case, Huseby stated that he wanted help from society and attention drawn to his cause. However, he stated that he regretted doing this by hijacking. He stated that all he wanted was to send a message to the minister of justice and prime minister that he needed help, and that he did not intend that the other passengers be aware of his threats. Huseby stated that the hijacking was spontaneous and that he planned to make an armed robbery or take hostages at the Radisson SAS hotel in Oslo. His defense attorney argued that Huseby did not commit a hijacking in the letter of the law, but had instead taken hostages, which would result in a lesser sentence. The court psychologists stated that Huseby had a difficult childhood, and had been defined as an alcoholic at the age of 17. They considered him to have very underdeveloped ability to make rational decisions and weak mental health. They also stated that he committed crimes to identify himself due to his low self-esteem. On 29 May 1986, Huseby was found guilty of hijacking in Eidsivating Court of Appeal
Borgarting Court of Appeal
Borgarting Court of Appeal is the court of appeal located in Oslo, Norway. It serves the counties of Oslo, Buskerud, Østfold and southern Akershus. The court has 62 judges and 45 administrative staff...
. He was sentenced to three years prison and five years of preventive supervision.