「世界の耳目を集めた東京上空でのハイジャック機が着陸しようとしていた
まさにそのときに、地上の米軍横田基地では緊迫のドラマが展開されていた。
その秘話を今明かそう。」
と、こんな２流週刊誌のような書き出しで、米軍のAir Force Newsが横田基
地の動きを紹介しています。
週刊誌と同じで、記事本文は見出しほど充実してないのですが、概略以下の
ようなことです。
横田基地が、ハイジャック機が横田に着陸予定との連絡を受けたのは午前１
１時５２分。「なっ！なに〜！！」というわけで、基地の全保安要員が緊急呼
集。数分の後には、全員が武装して配置に付いた。同時に緊急対策本部が設け
られ、福生署と警視庁との連絡回線が設けられた。
着陸予定の３６番滑走路には８台の消防車と２台の指揮車が待機した。作戦
は着陸した飛行機を遮断して完全に孤立させることだ。「あと半マイル！」固
唾を呑んで待ちかまえていると、機は突如反転。・・・・
と、こんな具合であんまり「秘話」ではありません（そもそも「連絡」を受
ける前に、レーダーで異状に気付き、通信傍受で事態を把握していたはずだが、
それには全く触れない）。基地関係者のインタビューから構成となっています
ので、肝心なことは口止めされているはずです。
この話で日本の警察との連携の話が出てきますが、基地には立ち入れないか
ら、米軍としては何を期待していたのでしょう。米軍が恐らく一番恐れたのは、
ハイジャック機が着陸したら、横田に報道や野次馬が殺到して基地が機能しな
くなることでしょう。彼らを排除することは日本の警察の仕事だと。
横田の場合、地元の警察とどのような協定があるのでしょう。このことにつ
いて地元紙では報道があったのかもしれません。ご存じの方は教えてくださ
い。新ガイドラインでは、米軍基地の警備は日本の仕事。横田に着陸してい
たら、そのテストケースになってしまうところでした。「周辺事態」でハイ
ジャックされた民間機が米軍基地に着陸。あり得ることです。
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30jul99
991417. Yokota emergency crews respond to hijacking
by Maj. Stephen Clutter
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- News of the high drama being played
out
above the skies of the Tokyo area July 23 is now well-known to most
people:
A hijacker took control of an All Nippon Airways jumbo-jet, allegedly
stabbed a pilot to death and was intending to land here.
The hijacking, which ended after the crew subdued the man and brought
the
Boeing 747 in for a safe landing at Haneda Airport, Japan, received
worldwide attention
What hasn't been told, however, is the high drama played out on the
ground
at Yokota Air Base, Japan. as the hijacked airliner with 517 people
aboard
was making its approach to land.
Flight 61 had originated from Haneda and was bound for Sapporo in Northern
Japan when base officials were notified that it was diverting to Yokota.
Within minutes of notification, emergency response crews were racing
into
position and a temporary command and control center was established
on the
flightline.
Japanese investigators are sorting out exactly what happened during
those
harrowing moments aboard the aircraft. But here is a recap of
the response
at Yokota, according to interviews with witnesses and security forces
and
fire department records:
At 11:52 p.m., security forces and the fire department received notification
via a secondary crash net that a hijacked 747 type aircraft was 45
miles
south of Yokota and was to land on runway 36.
All security forces were immediately notified and within minutes response
forces were armed and prepared to deploy.
The fire department responded with eight aircraft rescue firefighting
vehicles and two command and control vehicles. Their initial
actions were
to block taxiways to contain the aircraft. These blocking actions would
have
forced the aircraft to taxi to an isolated dispersal area, while denying
access to other areas of the airfield.
A temporary command and control center was established on the flightline,
led by the 374th Support Group commander.
Meanwhile, security forces contacted Fussa City Police, which alerted
its
personnel to standby.
Throughout the ordeal, the security forces liaison officer remained
in
contact with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and provided updates every
minute.
The jetliner was on a half-mile final approach when it suddenly veered
away
>from Yokota.
The scene of the 747 making its approach created a few tense moments,
though.
According to several witnesses, the hijacked jet did not have its wheels
down prior on the landing approach.
Japanese police and aviation officials are investigating the incident.
The
pilot, Naoyuki Nagashima, 51, was pronounced dead by a doctor who was
aboard
the aircraft.
The suspected hijacker, a 28-year-old unemployed man, was arrested.
Exactly
why he wanted to come to Yokota is unclear. What is clear, though,
is that
the response team was ready, according to Col. Cheryl Zadlo, 374th
SG
commander.
"I was truly confident that we were ready to handle whatever this hijacking
action would have posed for us," Zadlo said. "We had the right
people in
the right place. They were ready and they were thinking the issue through."
(Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces News Service)
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****************************
Masahiko Aoki
青木雅彦
btree@pop06.odn.ne.jp
****************************