description MS Achille Lauro Overview
The MS Achille Lauro was an Italian cruise ship originally launched in 1947 as the Willem Ruys for the Rotterdamsche Lloyd. The vessel gained international notoriety in October 1985 when four Palestinian terrorists hijacked it off the coast of Egypt, resulting in the murder of an American passenger, Leon Klinghoffer. After being retired from active passenger service, the ship caught fire and sank off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean in December 1994.
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What happened during the MS Achille Lauro hijacking?
In October 1985, four Palestinian terrorists hijacked the Italian cruise ship off the coast of Egypt. During the multi-day ordeal, the hijackers murdered Leon Klinghoffer, a 69-year-old Jewish-American passenger in a wheelchair, and threw his body overboard.
What was the original name of the MS Achille Lauro?
The vessel was originally launched in 1947 as the MS Willem Ruys for the Rotterdamsche Lloyd. It was renamed Achille Lauro in 1965 when it was acquired by the Italian Starlauro cruise line.
How and when did the MS Achille Lauro sink?
The ship caught fire off the coast of Somalia in December 1994 while on a voyage toward South Africa. The blaze raged out of control, and the vessel eventually sank into the Indian Ocean, though all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.
Is there a movie or opera about the MS Achille Lauro?
Yes, the hijacking was famously adapted into an opera titled "The Death of Klinghoffer" composed by John Adams in 1991. There was also a 1990 television movie titled "Voyage of Terror: The Achille Lauro Affair" starring Burt Lancaster and Lee Grant.
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