this day in history

October 7, 1985 Hijacking of the Achille Lauro Four Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship "Achille Lauro" off Alexandria, Egypt. While off the Syrian port of Tartus, the terrorists killed a wheelchair-bound American. Egypt and Italy negotiated the return of the ship and the remaining passengers. U.S. fighters intercepted an Egyptian jet carrying the hijackers and forced it down at a NATO base in Italy.