Video: 'Robert Culp: Achille Lauro Affair'

(Thursday, October 10, 1985) — An Egyptian plane carrying the hijackers of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro was intercepted by American Navy jets as it flew toward Tunisia tonight and was forced to land in Italy, the White House announced.

A spokesman said the four terrorists had been taken into custody by Italian authorities.

In a late evening news conference, Larry Speakes, the White House spokesman, said U.S. President Ronald Reagan had ordered the dramatic military action after learning that Egypt had turned down repeated American pleas to prosecute the four gunmen and was flying them to freedom.

The hijackers are believed to have killed an elderly American tourist aboard the cruise ship.