Attempted shoot down of King Hassan 1972
 

Can anyone point me to articles/news items on the web re the attempted shoot down of RAM 727 CN-CCG August 16th., 1972 with King Hassan onboard during attempted coup. If I remember right, press reports at time said two engines had to be shut down and the fighters only broke away because the pilot radioed them that the king was dead (on intl distress frequency or what?. Ta.

This is the story that I believe.
The name of the 727-200 aircraft was changed to "The Spirit of Providence" Damage was an air to air missile that penetrated a wing, 2 engines inoperative, with complete hydraulic and pressurisation failure. There were fatalities on board.
The crew called the Sale Tower [at Rabat], and told the controller that the King was dead. The fighter departed. A forced landing was made at Sale airfield, but not on the runway. The remaining crew and the King safely evacuated the aircraft.
The controller saw that the King was alive and recalled the fighter, which straffed the survivors.
The King lived, and the aircraft was repaired to continue flying in RAM. The pilots were suitably rewarded with high office in RAM. The controller and the fighter pilot also were appropriately rewarded!
After that, fighter flying was suspended, and base runways were blocked by military vehicles, whenever the King was within range.
Around this time there were street demonstrations by citizens. 4000 citizens discovered that the airforce helecopters could be fitted with machine guns.

[ 04 September 2001: Message edited by: autoflight ]

[ 05 September 2001: Message edited by: autoflight ]

Thanks - Your help much appreciated.

Are you writing a book?

I have had the pleasure of flying with the FE from the flight in question. He got a shiny medal from the king.
He was also decorated by the Shah of Iran during a highjack attempt in Iran sometime in the seventies. They managed to overcome the highjackers in Bagdad, the captain was shot but survived. But that is a another story. Some people have all the fun.

autoflight.

I'm baffled. Why did you reopen this thread some 18-months after it had died a natural??

I've got no hidden agenda here, just curious.

Angels,
There is a worldwide shortage of curious aviators.