Althouse: "Jose Flores Pereira, 44, who carried a Bible and a small box wrapped in packing tape, explained that the date - 9/9/9 - was the number of the Beast upside down."

September 10, 2009

"Jose Flores Pereira, 44, who carried a Bible and a small box wrapped in packing tape, explained that the date - 9/9/9 - was the number of the Beast upside down."

"He forced the pilot of AeroMexico Flight 576 from Cancun to circle Mexico City seven times before landing, and demanded to talk to Mexican President Felipe Calderon. 'He had a revelation that Mexico was threatened by an earthquake,' said public safety minister Genaro Garcia Luna. The hijacker released all 104 passengers unharmed before SWAT teams stormed the plane, freeing the crew and capturing Pereira without firing a shot."

So he was only a lunatic. But he showed us that it's still pretty easy to hijack a plane.

15 comments:

jayne_cobb said...: Actually he was off by a few days as the original number was 616.

That also happens to be the number designation of the Marvel universe (which is now owned by Disney).; 9/10/09, 7:38 AM
MadisonMan said...: Mexico obviously needs a Dept. of Homeland Security. That will help.; 9/10/09, 7:39 AM
KCFleming said...: The Beast would never fly commercial.

It's a Gulfstream G650, or nada.; 9/10/09, 7:54 AM
rhhardin said...: It's a little harder to fly the plane into something. The passengers become unruly, the official cooperate with the hijackers meme having been weakened.

Perhaps leisurely trips to Cuba will become popular again.; 9/10/09, 7:59 AM
KCFleming said...: OTOH, Jesus would definitely go coach.

He'd even offer to take the middle seat so you can sit next to the window and see the clouds. That's just the kind of guy he is.; 9/10/09, 8:01 AM
miller said...: Motivation is interesting, but as Ann comments, that's not the main point, which is that is was too easy to hijack the plane.

Just wanted to forestall the inevitable rejoinder that one crazy person negates every person who holds the same opinion.

Professor from SMCC in 3...2...1...; 9/10/09, 8:07 AM
paul a'barge said...: This was Cancun, Mexico folks. Not any airport in the USA.

Big difference.

No way would this have proceeded in the USA as it did in Mexico.; 9/10/09, 8:08 AM
A.W. said...: jeez, were these people asleep on 9-11?

You never, ever let a man hijack a plane. you can't trust him with it. A plane is not just transportation, it is a weapon.

Further proof that we have forgotten most of what bitter experience should have taught us that day.; 9/10/09, 8:08 AM
Bissage said...: Not everyone can play in the majors. This is were the trouble begins.; 9/10/09, 8:13 AM
rhhardin said...: You can't fly the plane from the passenger cabin.

There's hijack and then there's hijack.

And a plane isn't much of a weapon, except in the media.

In the 50-60s the chief threat, aside from planes falling out of the sky on their own, was from bombs in luggage, which threat was remedied by removing single-flight life insurance vending machines from airports.; 9/10/09, 8:17 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Not everyone can play in the majors. This is were the trouble begins.

Passengers must wear helmets.

Wv - salibrei = spiting contest.; 9/10/09, 8:38 AM
Leland said...: I'm not sure it is fair to say it is still pretty easy to hijack a plane. At least not based on this story.

The Captain seemed in pretty good control over the situation. The article says many of the passengers didn't even know there was a hijacking. And the hijacked plane went from Cancun to its intended destination in Mexico City.; 9/10/09, 8:49 AM
traditionalguy said...: I give up. How does his warning save people from the earthquake? Do they sleep outside? Do they run away, and how far do they run? He needs to elevate his game.; 9/10/09, 12:51 PM
BJM said...: I am far more worried about critical parts failing or falling off AeroMexico's planes than hijacking.; 9/10/09, 2:26 PM
Fred4Pres said...: coo coo for cooco puffs; 9/10/09, 3:34 PM