1972 Press Photo Plane Hijacker ,Tatsuji Nakaoka Captured in Tokyo

Plane Hijacker Captured in Tokyo. Tatsuji Nakaoka (47) a Japanese national living in Los Angeles is nabbed by police after an eight hour air piracy drama at Tokyo International Airport. Nakaoka had planned the skyjacking for a year but made the mistake of picking JAL short range Boeing 727 to fly him to Cuba via Vancouver and Mexico with 2 million dollars ransom, instead of a DC - 8. In the switch over to the bigger plane police hidden in it pounced on the man and disarmed him of a .38 loaded pistol. The would be hijacker let the passenger leave the Boeing 727, but held the three crewmen prisoners with their hands tied. During the hijacking Nakaoka wore a Halloween mask and yellow gloves, and planned to parachute to earth somewhere along the route to Cuba with the 2 million dollars deposited in metal cases on the front seats of the DC-8.

Photo measures 8.5 x 5.75 inches.

Photo is dated 11-6-1972.

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