Raffaele Minichiello, the First Airplane Hijacker: A Story of Repentance and Redemption

Raffaele Minichiello, known as Ralph, the first hijacker in history, today feels remorse for his criminal past.

He admitted to having made a grave mistake, an action that could be considered excessive and unjustified. However, Minichiello believes it was the constant struggle for survival that influenced his mentality.

The story involving Minichiello dates back to October 28, 1969 when the first and longest transoceanic plane hijacking in history took place. As a young man, Minichiello left his hometown, Melito Irpino, in the province of Avellino, to move to the United States, specifically to Seattle.

Born in the province of Avellino, he moved to the United States and enlisted in the Marines

He later enlisted in the Marines and was sent to Vietnam. During the war, he wore a helmet with the inscription "Kill me if you can" to demonstrate his valor and courage on the battlefield. However, he felt betrayed and mistreated by the U.S. Army, which even began considering a trial against him for his actions at Pendleton Air Base.

It was at that moment that Minichiello decided to take revenge.

He was carrying a short-barreled Plainfield submachine gun and 350 rounds of ammunition hidden in his luggage. Despite his intentions, the hijacking ended in Rome without any gunfire, except for one mistakenly fired shot. In reality, Minichiello's action was merely a demonstration, and no one was injured during the incident. Indeed, he befriended the crew members and an Italian policeman who cared for him after landing.

His story in a documentary film

Minichiello later became world-famous, and his story was told in a documentary film by Alex Infascelli titled "Wanted." Today, at 74, he continues to work for a large auto parts company in Seattle, but makes frequent trips to Italy, especially to his hometown of Avellino.

Recently, Mayor Michele Spinazzola awarded him an award during a screening of the film "Wanted." When asked about the conflict in Ukraine, Minichiello expressed his belief that all wars are dirty and pointless. In his opinion, war brings only toil, blood, and pain, destroying lives and changing people for the worse.

As for his past, Minichiello deeply regrets his hijacking and knows it will weigh on his conscience for the rest of his life. One of his greatest regrets is that he remains on the blacklist at Italian airports. This causes him to wait for hours and often lose flights and luggage. Despite his appeals to the Italian authorities, Minichiello has not been removed from the list and may have to turn to the European Court of Human Rights to resolve the situation.

Now, however, Minichiello has lost interest in flying and has instead developed a passion for tractor driving, especially in his hometown of Avellino. It is here that he finds serenity and comfort after all the experiences he has had over the years.