A total of 115 passengers and seven crew members were flying on TWA Flight 840 on April 2nd, 1986, when a bomb exploded in the cabin over Argos, Greece. The explosion caused several deaths, but the aircraft managed to land with most of the occupants uninjured.

Transatlantic trip

Not to be confused with the TWA Flight 840 hijacking on August 29th, 1969, which also happened over Greek airspace, the Flight 840 bombing in 1986 started its route from Los Angeles International Airport and was intended to finish its journey in Egypt.

The flight was initially performed by a Boeing 747. The first stopover was in New York, and the second was in Rome. A Boeing 727 took over from the jumbo and was due to arrive at Athens (Ellinikon) International Airport ahead of its final destination of Cairo.

Holding registration N54340, the Boeing aircraft was delivered to TWA in September 1974. The explosion occurred as the plane descended 15,000 feet over Greece as it prepared to land in Athens. The bomb, which was placed under seat 10F, created a 9 x 4-foot hole on the right side of the fuselage forward of the wing. Additionally, many windows were also blown out.

In total, there were four fatalities, including an eight-month-old infant. They were sucked through the hole in the plane. There were also ground sightings at Argos, Peloponnese, of seats and debris falling from the sky.

Witness accounts

Ibrahim al-Nami, a passenger injured on the aircraft shared the following, as reported by The New York Times:

“There was a hole in the side of the plane through which you could look out. There was a big bang, and then the man beside me was blown out along with his seat. I felt myself being pulled out, too, and I hung on to my wife's seat beside me.”

Following the explosion, TWA pilot Richard "Pete" Petersen reported a pressurization failure and requested permission to perform an emergency landing. Thus, at 14:30 local time, the aircraft skidded to a stop on a seaside runway, where it was swiftly met by fire engines and ambulances.

Another passenger, Jeanette Chaffee, was woken up by a deafening noise that sounded like five freight trains were thundering past her. She was frightened for the next 25 minutes but hailed the pilot as a hero for his courage and skill to land after the explosion.

The aftermath

The Reagan administration condemned the attack that killed four US citizens. Authorities focused the investigation on a Lebanese woman who sat in seat 10F on the 727 on the previous journey before it took over the latter leg of Flight 840.

A branch of the Arab Revolutionary Cells, which was linked to the Palestinian rebel Abu Nidal, claimed responsibility. The group stated that the attack was in response to US missile attacks on Libyan targets in the previous month.

TWA Flight 840 was affiliated with more extremities 11 years earlier amid a hijacking on August 29th, 1969. That time, a Boeing 707 was flying from Rome to Tel Aviv with a third stop in Athens.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) organized the hijacking, and during the leg between Rome and Athens, the aircraft was diverted to Syria's Damascus International Airport. Despite the nose of the 707 being blown up, all 127 passengers survived. However, there were two injuries. This wouldn't be the only hijacking that TWA would have to deal with over the years.

It was a tragic ending to the event that occurred on the 727 1986. Those that survived will always praise the pilot’s heroics in response.

What are your thoughts about the TWA Flight 840 bombing? What do you make of the overall events of the tragedy? Let us know what you think in the comment section.

Source: The New York Times