Hijacking

Tourism has long been plagued by the phenomenon of hijackings. In reality, hijackings, the illegal taking over of a vessel by a hostile force for either economic or political reasons, are nothing more than a modern form of piracy. Viewed in this way, piracy has been a problem for both air and sea mariners almost from the beginning of recorded history. Although we often use the term hijacking in regard to air travel, in reality it is no different [Page 597]from its sister phenomena of kidnapping and piracy. All three hold either a vessel and/or its passengers against their will, often for ransom, but also as acts of war and for the purposes of taking hostages. What perhaps distinguishes hijacking from its sister phenomena is ...