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Frustrated with life in the United States, Leon Bearden, along with his 16-year-old son Cody, executed a daring hijacking of a jumbo jet on August 3, 1961. Armed with a gun, they took control of the aircraft, coercing the flight crew to change their destination to Havana, Cuba.
The flight’s pilot, Byron Rickards, who had previously experienced a hostage situation, remained surprisingly calm throughout the ordeal. He informed the hijackers that the plane would need to land for refuelling en route to Cuba. Once the aircraft touched down, Rickards cleverly sought to minimise the number of hostages. He requested that four individuals voluntarily remain on board, thereby alleviating some of the pressure from the situation.