How a passenger airplane was successfully hijacked out of the USSR for the first time

On October 15, 1970, an An-24B with forty-six passengers on board was making a routine flight on the Sukhumi-Batumi route. Ten minutes after takeoff, a man sitting in the front row called a flight attendant, showed her a gun and ordered her to tell the pilots to immediately fly to Turkey.

Pranas Brazinskas.

Archive photo

The hijacker was 45-year-old Pranas Brazinskas, who had a previous conviction for embezzlement. Together with his 15-year-old son Algirdas, they planned to flee the country. There was no thorough passenger inspection at that time and they easily carried pistols, a shotgun and a grenade on board.

Algirdas Brazinskas.

Archive photo

Flight attendant Nadezhda Kurchenko refused to comply with the criminals' demand and tried to block the hijackers' way into the cockpit shouting "Attack!" The 19-year-old girl was shot dead on the spot.

Nadezhda Kurchenko.

Archive photo

After that, the Brazinskas opened indiscriminate shooting in the cabin of the airplane. The crew commander, navigator, flight mechanic and one of the passengers were wounded.

A Soviet airliner An-24B at the airport in Trabzon.

AP

As a result, the An-24B landed in Trabzon, Turkey, where the terrorists were arrested. The Turks handed over the airplane, passengers, wounded and the body of the dead stewardess to the USSR, but decided to judge the hijackers themselves. The extradition of the Brazinskas was also immediately opposed by the U.S.

A Soviet airliner An-24B sits deserted at the airport in Trabzon.

AP

At the trial, Pranas positioned himself as a member of the "Lithuanian resistance". He was sentenced to eight years, but was released under amnesty after just four years. The minor Algirdas received two years. After release, both father and son moved to the United States.

Wounded commander of the AN-24 civil aviation plane Giorgy Chakhrakia at the Batumi hospital.

N.Anastasyev/TASS

Over the years, Pranas Brazinskas developed paranoia – he saw an agent of the Soviet (and then Russian) security services in every person. He often quarreled with Algirdas, going as far as waving a gun at him.

Pranas Brazinskas, wearing dark glasses, leaves police headquarters following his interrogation, Oct. 16, 1970 in Trabzon, Turkey.

AP

Finally, on February 10, 2002, during one of such quarrels, the son crushed his father's head with a dumbbell. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for premeditated murder.

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