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Text | Edit: Shi Zai has no money
Preface
In July 1982, a thrilling hijacking occurred on a flight carrying representatives of the Ugandan military from Shanghai to Beijing. The precious "Viscount" airliner was hijacked by an internal guard who went so far as to ask for a dialogue with China's top leaders. This incident not only aroused a high degree of national vigilance, but also exposed the negligence in the management of Zhongnanhai and the reception of foreign guests. What exactly did the hijacker demand? How did Deng Gong deal with this crisis? Let's take a little history to learn about it.
On July 30, 1982, the "Viscount" passenger plane with the number 50258 was ready to take off on the apron in Shanghai. The plane not only carried the trust of the Ugandan military delegation, but also shouldered the heavy responsibility of bringing the guests safely to Beijing for the upcoming celebration of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army on August 1.
In the early morning of the day, the Ugandan delegates were in a happy mood, looking forward to the visit and praising the Chinese culture and hospitality. Full of anticipation for their upcoming trip to the capital, they boarded the long-awaited plane.
In order to ensure the success and safety of the trip, the Chinese side specially assigned a group of eight senior crew members to be in charge of the flight. These crew members are not only highly skilled, but also have extensive experience in handling international flight missions.
At 9:12 a.m., with the roaring sound of engines, the Viscount took off smoothly from the runway and began its voyage. Everything on board seemed to be proceeding according to plan, and the plane was expected to arrive in Beijing in two hours. During the flight, the captain and co-pilot carefully monitor the operating parameters of the aircraft to ensure the stability and safety of the flight. The flight service team is committed to providing the highest quality service to our guests in Uganda and making them feel honored and respected.
This flight is not only a manifestation of international friendly exchanges, but also a good opportunity to demonstrate the level of China's aviation services. The interaction between the crew and the Ugandan representatives reflects the deep friendship and mutual respect between China and Uganda. During the flight, mechanic Zhuang Yongchun successfully eliminated the fault of the ultra-shortwave radio station in the cockpit.
He was about to return the tool to the communication module, and at the same time, the navigator Liu Tiejun also had to go to the same cabin to check the flight coordinates with the navigator Wang Guifeng. At this moment, the cockpit left Lan Dingshou and Zhang Jinghai to deal with possible air situations. It was at this point that the ground control tower informed them that they needed to adjust their flight altitude to avoid a potential collision with another aircraft. The two pilots were so engrossed in the matter that they didn't notice a figure creeping into the cockpit and locking the door.
The sudden smell of gasoline interrupted their concentration. Lan Dingshou turned around and saw Zheng Yanwu, a security officer who was supposed to be in charge of aircraft security, with not only a gun but also a lighter in his hand. Zheng Yanwu's voice was full of threats: "Don't move, otherwise I will light the gasoline, and we will all have to finish playing." Now adjust the course to 150° and fly to Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan!
Lan Dingshou's mind roared, he couldn't believe the situation in front of him. Zheng Yanwu was selected to enter the security department through layers of selection, and his background and responsibilities bode well for a bright future, Lan Dingshou couldn't figure out why Zheng Yanwu would take risks.
In the cockpit, tension reached its peak. Lan Dingshou and Zhang Jinghai tried to stay calm and look for opportunities to turn the situation around. They must find a way to guide the plane back safely while ensuring their own safety, protecting the lives of all. After all, the special plane is carrying important international foreign guests and state officials, and any accident may attract international attention and affect the country's image. Lan Dingshou knew that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders and could not let any accidents happen.
In the tense atmosphere, Zheng Yanfeng looked extremely excited. The pistol in his hand was aimed at Lan Dingshou's head, and the other was holding a lighter, threatening to ignite the gasoline in the cabin. In this case, Lan Dingshou and co-pilot Zhang Jinghai could only try their best to stay calm and find a way to resolve the crisis.
Zheng Yanfeng shouted a loud order to change course. Lan Dingshou seemed to obey on the surface, and quietly adjusted the course, causing the plane to gradually turn to the southeast. But he knew in his heart that it was absolutely impossible to fly the plane to Taiwan, and he had to come up with other countermeasures during this time.
Captain Lan Dingshou and co-captain Zhang Jinghai found an opportunity in the confrontation, constantly delaying time, and tried their best to appease Zheng Yanwu, who was armed with a gun. They explained to Zheng that the plane's route would take time to adjust, and that since it was originally planned to fly to Beijing, it would need to reset the navigation system if it changed its destination to Taiwan at the last minute. These words made Zheng Yanwu quiet a little, but the tense atmosphere still enveloped the entire cockpit.
Taking advantage of Zheng Yanwu's ignorance of flight operations, Zhang Jinghai secretly got in touch with Liu Tiejun, the navigator outside the cockpit, through the headset in the flight cap. Together, the two of them planned how to notify the ground control center and ensure that the hijacking was not detected by foreign guests and senior leaders, so as not to cause greater chaos and panic.
After receiving the information, Liu Tiejun quickly contacted the ground navigation and command center and reported the emergency situation to them. After learning of the situation, the ground command system immediately issued an order, demanding that every effort be made to ensure the safety of the plane and that the plane should be forced to land at Nanjing Airport as soon as possible.
During the period when Lan Dingshou and Zhang Jinghai stabilized Zheng Yanwu, they deliberately lowered the altitude of the plane by one thousand meters, preparing for a better chance of survival for the people on board if the situation deteriorated. Zheng Yanwu was not aware of this ploy and still stubbornly demanded to turn to Taiwan.
In that tense era, China's diplomatic situation was precarious, caught in the contradictions of a superpower, and it was independent and striving for international reputation. The purpose of inviting senior Ugandan military officers to China is to demonstrate China's strength and goodwill, and to deepen friendly relations with African countries and enhance its influence in the international arena through this typical example.
At this critical moment, the news of the hijacking of a plane carrying senior Ugandan officials was like a bolt from the blue, making everyone involved nervous. Once the plane is forced to land on Taiwan, it will not only seriously damage China-Africa relations, but also be a great humiliation for China's diplomacy.
The crew and crew of the plane are well aware of the severity of the situation, and everyone is preparing for the worst-case scenario. The co-pilot Liu Tiejun held an emergency axe in his hand, the blade of the axe shone with an icy light, and his eyes were firm, ready to protect the guests and colleagues on board at a critical moment.
As Zheng Yanwu became restless, he began to threaten Lan Dingshou, demanding that Deng Xiaoping be contacted immediately, claiming that there was something important to discuss. Zhang Jinghai pretended to be panicked, pointed to the fuel gauge and told Zheng Yanwu that the existing fuel was simply not enough to support the flight to Taiwan, and if he insisted on flying, he would most likely crash at sea.
Zheng Yanwu's threat made Lan Dingshou and Zhang Jinghai understand that they must rely on their own wisdom and courage to solve the crisis. Lan Dingshou concocted a lie about electromagnetic interference in the cockpit to appease Zheng Yanwu while continuing to carefully operate the plane to ensure the safety of everyone.
Despite the tension in the cockpit, the Ugandan delegates enjoyed the trip and laughed and talked unnoticed. They were full of good expectations and memories for this trip to China, completely unaware that they were in an air crisis.
Zhang Jinghai pretended to tell Zheng Yanwu that they were close to the coastline and were ready to enter Taiwanese airspace. The purpose of this scheme is to create an opportunity to regain control. Zheng Yanwu listened to this information and looked out the window excitedly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the "free land" that was about to arrive. Just as he was engrossed in observing the seascape, Lan Dingshou and Zhang Jinghai's eyes exchanged a decisive signal - the time for action had arrived.
Lan Dingshou launched a swift and fierce attack, grabbing Zheng Yanwu's head with both hands, trying to suppress it. At the same time, Zhang Jinghai decisively controlled the weapon arm wielded by Zheng Yanwu. In this sudden scuffle, Zheng Yanwu completely lost his balance and fell heavily to the floor, while Zhang Jinghai also followed, insisting on grabbing the opponent's wrist. At this moment, other members of the crew, Wang Guifeng and Fang Jialin, also broke through the cockpit door and hurriedly joined the fight. Their arrival has provided critical support for the resolution of this crisis.
In the confusion, Zheng Yanwu reflexively pulled the trigger, and the sound of gunfire echoed in the cramped cockpit. At this life-and-death juncture, Zhang Jinghai and Lan Dingshou did not flinch, they suppressed Zheng Yanwu with their bodies, although the bullets passed by and there were many dangers.
Wang Guifeng saw the opportunity, acted decisively with the fire axe in his hand, and cut off Zheng Yanwu's head with an axe, ending the threat of this hijacking. After the crisis was resolved, the crew all exhaled deeply, but then they found that Zhang Jinghai's trouser leg was red with blood, and his right leg was shot, and the pain began to invade his consciousness.
Despite being seriously injured, Zhang Jinghai and other crew members moved quickly to ensure the safe landing of the plane. After the "Viscount" landed at Nanjing Airport, the waiting medical staff immediately sent him to the hospital for first aid. After landing safely, Zhang Jinghai was quickly taken to the hospital for treatment, and Zheng Yanwu's body was handed over to the relevant authorities.
Foreign guests and other passengers were transferred to another plane to continue their journey to Beijing. The crew of the aircraft was awarded the honorary title of "Anti-Hijacking Heroic Crew" for their heroic actions. Although the incident involved the country's foreign affairs, the central government chose to block the details of the incident, so this heroic act was not widely known.
This incident is not only a test of the crew's courage, but also a major challenge to the flight safety management system. This experience will forever be recorded in the memories of those who were directly involved, who showed extraordinary courage and determination in their dedication to duty and the protection of their lives.
After the hijacking incident was handled, Deng Xiaoping expressed great concern about the incident and instructed a strict investigation into the reasons behind the incident and the past behavior of Zheng Yanwu, who had a bad record. He pointed out that Zhongnanhai and the military cannot tolerate people with work style problems and political irritability. Therefore, the party Central Committee has carried out an in-depth rectification of the work style of the Zhongnanhai Guard Corps and the army, eliminated a number of personnel who are not firm in their political stance, and strengthened the political and ideological education of the army.
Under Deng Xiaoping's direct attention and guidance, the military's internal management and political education were significantly strengthened, ensuring the loyalty and reliability of state security personnel. For Lan Dingshou and Zhang Jinghai, their heroic actions not only earned them honor, but also paved the way for their future careers. Both were eventually promoted to major generals in the Air Force and retired with honor in 2006. Although the hijacking incident was short-lived, its impact was far-reaching, not only strengthening China's aviation security measures, but also enhancing trust and respect at home and abroad for China as a responsible major country in international affairs.