Holding the passengers and crew hostage, they directed the vessel to sail to Tartus, Syria, and demanded the release of 50 Palestinians then in Israeli prisons.
Posádku a cestujúcich držali únoscovia ako rukojemníkov a nariadili plavbu do Tartusu v Sýrii, pričom požadovali prepustenie 50 Palestínčanov z izraelských väzníc.