Incident Overview
During a routine flight from Tbilisi to Batumi, seven hijackers, described as young Georgian people, elected to divert the aircraft to Turkey while at cruising altitude. The hijackers opened fire in the cabin and cockpit, but the copilot executed sharp maneuvers that forced a hijacker to leave the cockpit. The crew was able to return to Tbilisi Airport, where security forces stormed the aircraft.
Casualties and Damage
Seven occupants were killed: three crew members and four passengers, including three of the hijackers. At least 63 bullet holes were found in the fuselage. The aircraft was considered damaged beyond repair due to serious deformation of the structure caused by excessive g loads during an emergency descent.
Official Findings
The probable cause, as stated in the official investigation, was structural damages caused by excessive g loads and bullet holes due to the hijacking situation.