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NDTV
17-07-2025
- NDTV
World's First "Air Piracy" Was A 20 Minutes "Cigarette Flight" En Route Macau
There were no metal detectors or scanners at the airport in 1948. It was a short flight between Portuguese-controlled Macau and British-controlled Hong Kong. Twenty minutes was all it took. And one such routine journey turned into a nightmare when a Cathay Pacific-operated seaplane, Miss Macau, became the world's first recorded airplane hijacking. In fact, the idea of hijacking didn't even exist at the time. People would call it "air piracy." With no proper airport or runway, planes would take off from Macau's coastal waters for what were then referred to as "cigarette flights" for their duration. According to CNN, shortly after the flight took off with 24 passengers, two pilots and one flight attendant, four armed men hijacked the aircraft over the Pearl River Delta in an attempt to loot the passengers. The plane was captained by American pilot Dale Cramer and Australian first officer Ken McDuff. Macau was the only place in the Far East where gold trading was permitted. Hence, wealthy individuals would routinely travel between Macau and Hong Kong, carrying gold and cash. This route became a popular target for robbers. The hijackers planned to seize control of the aircraft and rob the passengers. So, one of the hijackers went into the cockpit and demanded controls, which the Captain refused to hand over. A struggle broke out between a passenger and one of the hijackers, who pulled out his gun. When the hijackers shot both pilots, the captain's body slumped forward onto the joystick control, causing the aircraft to nose-dive. Within moments, Miss Macao plunged into the South China Sea, killing 25 of the 26 people onboard. The only survivor was a hijacker, a 24-year-old Chinese rice farmer named Wong Yu, rescued by a fisherman and taken to the hospital. Historian Luis Andrade de Sa, in his book "Aviation in Macau: One Hundred Years of Adventure," explained that the lead hijacker, Chiu Tok, had taken flying lessons in Manila. His plan was to fly the plane himself once the pilots handed him controls, reported Simple Flying. At the time, there were no metal detectors, and bags were only lightly checked without proper investigation. So, the hijackers tied their guns to their legs using black string. One of them even hid bullets in the hollow sole of his shoe, according to the South China Morning Post. The question of who should prosecute Wong after his capture remained ambiguous because Macao's Portuguese officials claimed that since the plane belonged to a British corporation, the case should be heard in Hong Kong. But because all of the hijackers were Chinese, British officials in Hong Kong refused to take up the case. Wong was ultimately returned to mainland China in 1951. He was never put on trial for robbery, murder, or air piracy, and died at the age of 27.
The National
27-03-2025
- The National
Four hidden gems to visit in Mumbai, from Sheev Killa to Pancham Puriwala
Mumbai is a city of many contradictions, perhaps reflected by its many names over the centuries – from Maiambu, a reference to locally worshipped deity Mumba Devi, to the colonial-era Boon Bay and Bombay. Officially renamed Mumbai in 1995, India's finance capital and home to the thriving Bollywood film industry also has plenty to see and do for history buffs, foodies and culture vultures. Some landmarks – from the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre to the award-winning Masque restaurant – make headlines regularly, while others thrive quietly in the background, visited only by a knowing few. It is these hidden gems that discerning travellers are seeking out, and here are some to visit. Sheev or Sion, derived from the Marathi word for 'boundary', is a district that houses one of the oldest forts from colonial-era Bombay. Sion Hillock Fort, or Sheev Killa, was built in the 1670s by Gerald Aungier, who was the Governor of Bombay. It separated land owned by the British East India Company from the Portuguese-controlled Salsette Island (now the Thane and Mira-Bhayander areas). The fort is about 500 metres from Sion train station, and its watchtower and a remaining cannon can be accessed via a flight of stone steps. The view from the top is a study in contrasts, with one side offering a glimpse of Mumbai's oil refineries and salt pans, and the other looking out on to the contemporary glass facades and high-rises of Bandra-Kurla Complex, punctuated by the Bandra-Worli Sealink bridge. While the fort's role as a bastion of defence appears clear, the site also has a concrete maze. The purpose of the maze, however, remains a mystery, especially since its walls are barely 120cm tall so only pose a challenge for children to find their way out. The fort can be accessed via a stroll through the lush Jawaharlal Nehru garden, and it is free to enter. Roll-on, roll-off (or ro-ro) cargo ships that ferry passengers and their vehicles are the best way to get to Alibaug, a coastal town across the Arabian Sea from the Mumbai mainland. The car ferry can be caught from the air-conditioned port of Bhaucha Dhakka on the eastern seafront of Mumbai. It docks at Mandwa, the town made famous by Amitabh Bachchan's blockbuster movie Agneepath. While the 60-minute ride (priced from 420 rupees) affords photo opportunities featuring the city skyline and a rising or setting sun, it's worth spending a night or a weekend in the main town of Alibaug. Dubbed the Miami of Mumbai, it offers some of the area's cleanest beaches and boasts several celebrities' homes, including those of actor Shah Rukh Khan and cricketer Virat Kohli. In recent years, both Mandwa and Alibaug have become gourmet destinations, too, serving fresh seafood in the coastal Malvani and Goan styles. Must-try restaurants include Boardwalk by Flamboyante on Mandwa jetty and The Backyard Cafe in Varsoli village, close to the main town, plus Mayoor Bakery, which has been serving artisanal breads since the 1970s. Chef Moshe Shek also runs culinary classes at A World Away, an organic farm in the hamlet of Awas, which is particularly popular with Mumbai's 'ladies who lunch'. Larger groups can book out a minimum of 10 rooms at Mansion House, a 25-room boutique resort by Sasawane beach, renowned for its quaint decor and exceptional service. One of Mumbai's oldest restaurants, built in the colonial era, Pancham Puriwala is in the Fort area of South Bombay. It began as a grab-and-go stall, which expanded to a two-storey, bricks-and-mortar restaurant once the Victoria railway terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) was built in the 1880s, bringing millions of migrants to Mumbai. For more than 175 years, the humble joint run by six generations of its founder Pancham Sharma's family has dished out piping hot plates of puri bhaji, a North Indian delicacy made of deep-fried wheat flour served with spiced and curried potatoes – and now priced at 35 rupees a plate. The quick-service restaurant has big sharing tables, so it's not uncommon to eat your meal alongside university students and taxi drivers. Puri bhaji aside, the restaurant also serves a mean thali (from 135 rupees) – a platter filled with vegetables, pulses, lentils and sweetmeats, which can be refilled on demand. Seasonal mango juice, aam ras, is also on the menu, while the chole bhature, pumpkin bhaji and shahi paneer are other dishes worth sampling. The haunt of Mumbai's Kolis or fishing community, Worli is one of the seven islands that originally made up Mumbai, much of which has now been connected and expanded by land reclamation. Despite its financial and industrial prowess, the city still provides a livelihood for the Kolis, who set off in their trawlers in the wee hours each morning to bring in the catch of the day. A tour of Worli Village allows you to watch the fishermen return home, to clean and dry their haul before the women take it to market. You can also stroll around the vibrant fishing dock, sample freshly cooked fried snacks and Mumbai's famous 'cutting chai' (so named because of the half-sized glasses it's served in), and learn about the city's maritime heritage. In the afternoon, when the market shuts for siesta time, head to the nearby Worli Fort, Golfa Devi temple or Japanese-Buddhist Nipponzan Myohoji temple. Should you prefer to visit with a tour guide, prices start from 750 rupees for a group of five, although – as with most purchases in mercantile Mumbai – haggling is highly recommended.
