International Hijacker Releases Hostages Unharmed,... (Press, 22 October 1977)

In a dramatic incident on 21 October 1977, Thomas Michael Hannan, a 29-year-old bank-robbery suspect, hijacked a Frontier Airlines Boeing 737 in Nebraska, aiming to facilitate the release of his alleged homosexual partner, George David Stewart, from jail in Atlanta. Stewart was incarcerated following a robbery charge related to a bank heist they had committed together. Fulfilling his surrender demands, Hannan requested the delivery of S3M and two parachutes, indicating a desire for an in-flight escape. During the incident, Hannan initially held 30 passengers and a crew of four aboard the aircraft. He opted to release all women and children, as well as two male passengers, including one who was a heart patient, when the plane made a refuelling stop in Kansas City. Upon arriving in Atlanta, where he had been holding the remaining hostages for approximately six hours, Hannan released two flight attendants after communication with Stewart, who had been flown in by helicopter to persuade him to surrender. Despite the efforts of his lawyer, Roger Thompson, who boarded the plane to negotiate Hannan's surrender, the situation escalated tragically. Hannan, sitting in the back of the plane, ultimately took his own life by shooting himself in the chest, ignoring Thompson's pleas to lay down his weapon. This occurred shortly after the last hostages were released unharmed. Emergency medical personnel rushed Hannan to Grady Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials confirmed that Hannan exhibited no signs of struggle prior to his suicide, and law enforcement had been focused on ensuring the safety of the hostages during the tense stand-off. Hannan had reportedly armed himself with a sawn-off shotgun during a security check at the airport and initiated the hijacking shortly thereafter. The overall tension surrounding the hijacking extended to Kansas City as families of the remaining hostages awaited news. The atmosphere shifted from anxiety to relief when it was announced that all hostages were released safely. Hannan's actions had drawn national attention, highlighting the risks and complex motivations behind hijackings.

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