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Originally Posted by PokerRon247
Let's assume for a minute that the plane was stolen and taken somewhere either by the pilots acting on behalf of a third party or by hijackers/pirates. What are the most likely reasons for this?
- Taking the plane purely for the value of the plane itself. How easy is it to resell a 777, especially now that the case has generated such a high profile? Taking 200+ people out just to get your goods is not a minor consideration even for most people who are ballsy enough to steal an airliner imo, as well as adding much more difficulty to the job. Seems like there would be much easier and less risky ways of generating the same cash through other criminal means.
0% -- easier to rob a bank, kidnap a rich Asian businessman for ransom, or a million other things.
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- Terrorist group planning to use the plane for sinister purposes down the line such as loading it up with explosives and flying it into a major city. Well before this incident I would have said that this option was unlikely as you simply can't fly a commercial airliner anywhere on Earth without being immediately picked up by radar. This case seems to have proven otherwise so maybe this is a viable option?
0% -- Why steal a passenger jet with 239 people, fly it to nowhere, if goal is to fill it with cargo and crash it into a major city? There are a million ways better ways to get high-explosives into a city, using a boat, lorry, train, or if a big plane is really needed, then a plane designed to carry cargo.
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- The plane was stolen for it's valuable cargo? I'm sure the authorities have gone on record saying that the cargo was just a load of fruit, but is it possible that there was some extra secret cargo that we can't be told about because of confidentiality/national security issues?
0% -- No matter what is on the plane, there a million easier ways to steal it.
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That's about all I can come up with. Any other ideas?
Taking your assumption of hijackers as a starting premise, the aims would be for political gain or simple retribution or just watch the world freak out and eat popcorn, not financial gain, and not because you really needed a 777.