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.