Act of Parliament · 2020 Revised Edition
Hijacking of Aircraft and Protection of Aircraft and International Airports Act 1978
Feedback & supportSuppressing aircraft hijacking and unlawful acts at airportsOfficial textFrom Singapore Statutes Online, unchanged
s 1Short title
This Act is the Hijacking of Aircraft and Protection of Aircraft and International Airports Act 1978.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —
“act of violence” means —
an act done in Singapore which constitutes the offence of murder, attempted murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, or an offence under —
section 4 of the Arms Offences Act 1973;
section 3 or 4 of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958; or
[Deleted by Act 3 of 2021 wef 01/07/2025]
section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961; and
an act done outside Singapore which, if done in Singapore, would constitute an offence mentioned in paragraph (a);
“aerodrome” has the meaning given by the Air Navigation Act 1966;
“air navigation facilities” includes signals, data, information or systems necessary for the navigation of an aircraft;
“BCN weapon” means any of the following:
biological weapons which are —
microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes; or
weapons, equipment or means of delivery designed to use such agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflict;
chemical weapons which are, together or separately —
toxic chemicals and their precursors, except where intended for —
industrial, agricultural, research, medical, pharmaceutical or other peaceful purposes;
protective purposes, namely those purposes directly related to protection against toxic chemicals and to protection against chemical weapons;
military purposes not connected with the use of chemical weapons and not dependent on the use of the toxic properties of chemicals as a method of warfare; or
law enforcement, including domestic riot control purposes,as long as the types and quantities are consistent with such purposes;
munitions and devices specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of those toxic chemicals specified in sub-paragraph (i), which would be released as a result of the employment of such munitions and devices; or
equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of munitions and devices specified in sub-paragraph (ii);
nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices;
“IAEA Statute” means the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency, being the Statute that was ratified by Singapore on 5 January 1967, and includes any amendment to, or substitution of, the Statute that is binding on Singapore;
“landing” includes alighting on water;
“military service” includes army, naval and air force service;
“nuclear material” means —
plutonium, except that with isotropic concentration exceeding 80% in plutonium-238;
uranium-233;
uranium enriched in the isotope 235 or 233;
uranium containing the mixture of isotopes as occurring in nature other than in the form of ore or ore residue; or
any material containing one or more of the materials mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d);
“precursor” means any chemical reactant which takes part at any stage in the production by whatever method of a toxic chemical, and includes any key component of a binary or multi-component chemical system;
“radioactive material” means nuclear material and other radioactive substances —
which contain nuclides which undergo spontaneous disintegration (a process accompanied by emission of one or more types of ionising radiation, such as alpha, beta, neutron particles and gamma rays); and
which may, owing to their radiological or fissile properties, cause death, serious bodily injury or substantial damage to property or the environment;
“source material” has the meaning given by the IAEA Statute;
“special fissionable material” has the meaning given by the IAEA Statute;
“toxic chemical” means any chemical which through its chemical action on life processes can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals, and includes all such chemicals, regardless of their origin or of their method of production, and regardless of whether they are produced in facilities, munitions or elsewhere;
“unlawfully”, in relation to the commission of an act —
in Singapore, means an offence that is (apart from this Act) constituted under any written law in force in Singapore; and
outside Singapore, means the commission of the act that would (apart from this Act) have been an offence under any written law in force in Singapore had it been committed in Singapore;
“uranium enriched in the isotope 235 or 233” means uranium containing the isotope 235 or 233 or both in an amount such that the abundance ratio of the sum of these isotopes to the isotope 238 is greater than the ratio of the isotope 235 to the isotope 238 occurring in nature.
For the purposes of this Act —
the period during which an aircraft is in flight is deemed to include any period from the moment when all its external doors are closed following embarkation until the moment when any such door is opened for disembarkation, and, in the case of a forced landing, any period until the competent authorities take over responsibility for the aircraft and for persons and property on board; and
an aircraft is taken to be in service during the whole of the period which begins with the pre-flight preparation of the aircraft for a flight and ends 24 hours after the aircraft lands having completed that flight, and also at any time (not falling within that period) while, in accordance with paragraph (a), the aircraft is in flight.
Subject to subsection (2), a person who unlawfully and intentionally seizes or exercises control of an aircraft in service by the use of force or by threats of any kind, or by any technological means, commits the offence of hijacking, whatever the nationality or citizenship of the person, whatever the State in which the aircraft is registered and whether the aircraft is in Singapore or elsewhere.
If the aircraft is used in military, customs or police service, subsection (1) does not apply unless —
the person seizing or exercising control of the aircraft is a citizen of Singapore;
his or her act is committed in or over Singapore; or
the aircraft is used in the military, customs or police service of the Republic of Singapore.
A person who commits the offence of hijacking shall be guilty of an offence.
s 4Violence against passengers or crew
Any act of violence against the passengers or crew of an aircraft in service done by a person in connection with the offence of hijacking committed or attempted by him or her on board that aircraft is deemed to have been committed in Singapore and constitutes an offence punishable under the law in force in Singapore applicable thereto, wherever the act of violence was committed, whatever the State of registration of the aircraft and whatever the nationality or citizenship of the offender.
Subject to subsection (5), a person who unlawfully and intentionally —
destroys an aircraft in service or so damages the aircraft as to render it incapable of flight or as to be likely to endanger its safety in flight; or
commits on board an aircraft in flight any act of violence which is likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft,shall be guilty of an offence.
Subject to subsection (5), a person who unlawfully and intentionally places or causes to be placed on an aircraft in service any device or substance which is likely to destroy the aircraft or is likely so to damage it as to render it incapable of flight or as to be likely to endanger its safety in flight shall be guilty of an offence.
Nothing in subsection (2) is to be construed as limiting the circumstances in which the commission of any act —
may constitute an offence under subsection (1); or
may constitute attempting or conspiring to commit or abetting the commission of the offence.
Except as provided by subsection (5), subsections (1) and (2) apply whether any act mentioned in those subsections is committed in Singapore or elsewhere, whatever the nationality or citizenship of the person committing the act or whatever the State in which the aircraft is registered.
Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to any act committed in relation to an aircraft used in military, customs or police service unless —
the act is committed in or over Singapore; (b)where the act is committed outside Singapore, the person committing the act is a citizen of Singapore; or
the aircraft is used in the military, customs or police service of the Republic of Singapore.
Subject to subsection (3), a person who unlawfully and intentionally uses an aircraft in service for the purpose of causing death, serious bodily injury or serious damage to property or the environment shall be guilty of an offence.
Except as provided in subsection (3), subsection (1) applies whether the act mentioned in subsection (1) is committed in Singapore or elsewhere, whatever the nationality or citizenship of the person committing the act or whatever the State in which the aircraft is registered.
Subsection (1) does not apply to any act committed in relation to an aircraft used in military, customs or police service unless —
the act is committed in or over Singapore;
where the act is committed outside Singapore, the person committing the act is a citizen of Singapore; or
the aircraft is used in the military, customs or police service of the Republic of Singapore.
Subject to subsection (3), a person who unlawfully and intentionally releases or discharges from an aircraft in service —
any BCN weapon; or
any explosive, radioactive or similar substances,in a manner that causes or is likely to cause death, serious bodily injury or serious damage to property or the environment shall be guilty of an offence.
Except as provided in subsection (3), subsection (1) applies whether the act mentioned in subsection (1) is committed in Singapore or elsewhere, whatever the nationality or citizenship of the person committing the act or whatever the State in which the aircraft is registered.
Subsection (1) does not apply to any act committed in relation to an aircraft used in military, customs or police service unless —
the act is committed in or over Singapore;
where the act is committed outside Singapore, the person committing the act is a citizen of Singapore; or
the aircraft is used in the military, customs or police service of the Republic of Singapore.
Subject to subsection (3), a person who unlawfully and intentionally uses against or on board any aircraft in service —
any BCN weapon; or
any explosive, radioactive or similar substances,in a manner that causes or is likely to cause death, serious bodily injury or serious damage to property or the environment shall be guilty of an offence.
Except as provided in subsection (3), subsection (1) applies whether the act mentioned in subsection (1) is committed in Singapore or elsewhere, whatever the nationality or citizenship of the person committing the act or whatever the State in which the aircraft is registered.
Subsection (1) does not apply to any act committed in relation to an aircraft used in military, customs or police service unless —
the act is committed in or over Singapore;
where the act is committed outside Singapore, the person committing the act is a citizen of Singapore; or
the aircraft is used in the military, customs or police service of the Republic of Singapore.
Subject to subsections (3) and (4), a person who unlawfully and intentionally transports or causes to be transported, or facilitates the transport of, any of the following on board an aircraft shall be guilty of an offence:
any explosive or radioactive material, knowing that it is intended to be used to cause, or in a threat (whether with or without a condition) to cause, death or serious injury or damage for the purpose of intimidating a population, or compelling a government or an international organisation to do or to abstain from doing any act;
any BCN weapon which the person knows to be a BCN weapon;
any source material, special fissionable material, or equipment or material specially designed or prepared for the processing, use or production of special fissionable material, knowing that it is intended to be used in a nuclear explosive activity or in any other nuclear activity not under safeguards pursuant to a Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency;
any equipment, materials or software or related technology that significantly contributes to the design, manufacture or delivery of a BCN weapon without lawful authorisation and with the intention that it will be used for such purpose.
Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4), subsection (1) applies whether the act mentioned in subsection (1) is committed in Singapore or elsewhere, whatever the nationality or citizenship of the person committing the act or whatever the State in which the aircraft is registered.
Subsection (1)(c) and (d) does not apply to, or in relation to, the transport of any item mentioned in those provisions if the transport —
involves an activity undertaken by a State party to the Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts relating to International Civil Aviation signed at Beijing on 10 September 2010, or any person authorised by that State party; and
is consistent with, or is for a use or an activity that is consistent with, that State party’s rights, responsibilities and obligations under any multilateral non-proliferation treaty which that State is party to.
Subsection (1) also does not apply to any act committed in relation to an aircraft used in military, customs or police service unless —
the act is committed in or over Singapore;
where the act is committed outside Singapore, the person committing the act is a citizen of Singapore; or
the aircraft is used in the military, customs or police service of the Republic of Singapore.