What happened
On a scheduled flight from Baghdad to Seoul via Abu Dhabi and Bangkok, a Boeing 707-300, registration HL7406, disappeared while over the Indian Ocean. The aircraft departed Abu Dhabi at 00:01 UTC, climbing to an initial cruising altitude of FL370. At 05:01 UTC, the crew provided their final radio transmission, estimating they would reach the TAVOY waypoint near the Andaman Sea by 05:22 UTC. The aircraft never reached its destination and was subsequently declared missing.
On December 13, 1987, debris from the wreckage was discovered by a local schooner northwest of Tavoy, Myanmar. Following the disappearance, investigators identified two individuals who had disembarked at Abu Dhabi. These suspects were later apprehended in Bahrain while attempting to exit the country using fraudulent Japanese passports. During interrogation, one suspect died by suicide via poison, while the other survived and was later convicted for her involvement in the incident.
All 115 fatalities (comprising 104 passengers and 11 crew members) were confirmed following the loss of the aircraft.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the destruction of the aircraft was caused by an in-flight explosion from a planted time bomb. The device, constructed using C4 explosive and a transistor radio acting as a timer, had been activated at Baghdad Airport. Additionally, a bottle containing liquid PLX explosive was placed in an overhead bin in the forward economy class section. These explosives were left on board the aircraft after the suspects disembarked during the stopover in Abu Dhabi.