The hijackers were reported to number six or seven , and included Hassan Izz-Al-Din , who had previously been involved in the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847 . Following negotiations with the Iranian Prime Minister 25 hostages were released – a man with a heart condition on 5 April , and 24 women the following day . A further 32 were allowed to leave the plane on 7 April after the Kuwaiti government sent a team of negotiators to Iran to talk to the hijackers . However , negotiations were frustrated by Kuwait 's support for Iraq in the ongoing Gulf Conflict between that country and Iran , and no more hostages were released in Iran . The hijackers forced authorities to refuel the plane by threatening to take off with almost empty fuel tanks , and shooting at security officials
TWA Flight 847
TWA Flight 847
Kuwait Airways Flight 422