Il primo dirottatore della storia ritorna ad Avellino: un errore del passato

Raffaele ‘Ralph’ Minichiello, the first transoceanic hijacker in history, made headlines when he hijacked a TWA Boeing 707 from Los Angeles to San Francisco on October 28, 1969. At the age of 14, Minichiello left his hometown of Melito Irpino in the province of Avellino, Italy, and moved to Seattle, USA. He later joined the Marines and fought in Vietnam. However, he eventually felt betrayed and mistreated by the American army, leading him to seek revenge by hijacking an airplane.

On that fateful day, Minichiello boarded the Boeing 707 with 80 other passengers, armed with a short-barreled Plainfield submachine gun and 350 hidden bullets in his bag. This act of hijacking became the longest hijacking in civil aviation history, culminating in a landing in Rome, without firing a single shot (except for one accidental shot). In reality, it was a symbolic action, as he didn’t harm anyone. Consequently, he received a relatively light punishment, but his notoriety soared.

Now 74 years old, Minichiello often visits Italy and occasionally returns to his hometown, located 50 kilometers from Avellino. Recently, he was honored by the mayor, Michele Spinazzola. When asked about the war in Ukraine, the former Marine states that “all wars are dirty and pointless. War is hard work, bloodshed, and pain; it extinguishes lives and destroys those who survive.” Reflecting on the hijacking, he admits, “I made a mistake; it was a criminal and exaggerated behavior. I defended my rights in the worst way possible. It’s not an excuse, but perhaps the constant struggle for survival has left its mark on me.”

One of Minichiello’s grievances is that he is still on the blacklist of Italian airports. He endures hours of waiting before boarding or disembarking, often resulting in missed flights and lost luggage. He believes that he may have to turn to the European Court of Human Rights for resolution. However, now he says, “Enough of airplanes; my true passion is driving tractors,” preferably in Avellino.

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