Diary Entry - 11/24/1985

Key Facts
President Reagan is awakened at midnight with the news that an Egyptian airliner had been hijacked.
President Reagan speaks with Assistant for National Security Affairs Robert McFarlane.
Awakened at midnight with a call on a secure phone. An Egyptian airliner out of Athens hijacked & landed at Malta. A few passengers are American: Egypt sending a plane to Malta asking for our planes to give cover in case Lybia intervened—also asked for Am. presence & for help on ground in Malta. I said yes to all those points & our team is now on Sigonella. Shortly after 1 P.M. received call from J.P. (N.S.C.) that hi-jackers have freed some passengers including 3 Ams.—2 wounded 1 dead. Everything else has worked out & our team is joining Egyptians although they have asked only for technical aid—they will make actual assault.
3:35 P.M. Bud M. called—it’s all over. Egyptians stormed the plane & killed both hi-jackers. There are 24 casualtys—12 serious. Of the 3 Ams. 1 a woman is dead, 1 hospitalized—at least that is the info. we have as of now.
