Commandos storm jet held in Thailand

March 31, 1981

A joint Thai-Indonesian commando force stormed a hijacked Indonesian jetliner with 50 hostages aboard, police broadcasts monitored Monday said. Earlier, Indonesia had agreed to part of the demands made by hijackers holding 44 hostages in Bangkok. A Thai government spokesman said Indonesia agreed to free 53 political prisoners moments before a Monday night deadline set by the hijackers passed.

The five gunmen who seized an Indonesian airliner Saturday and have since held it at the Bangkok airport demanded the release of 80 politi cal prisoners and a $1.5 million ransom.