Malaysian Airlines System 653

By Patrick Mondout

On December 4, 1977, a Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) 737 was hijacked en route between Penang and Kuala Lumpur. Witnesses saw the aircraft descend from an altitude of 21,000 feet to a few thousand feet before leveling off. The aircraft then plunged into a swamp 30 miles southwest of Johor Baharu, Malaysia. All 93 passengers and 7 crew were killed.

Investigators later determined that both pilots must have been shot.

Source: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report.

Malaysian Airlines System 653 at a Glance
Airline	Malaysian Airlines System
Date	December 4, 1977
Flight number	653
Registration Number	9M-MBD
Crew Fatalities	7 of 7
Passenger Fatalities	93 of 93
Total Fatalities	100 of 100

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