PARIS (Jul. 22)
Air France is recovering its air bus which was hijacked June 27 and landed at Entebbe, Uganda, the next day–but at a price. President Idi Amin released the plane today “with no strings attached” except a “bill” for 500,000 Francs (about $120,000) which the Ugandan ruler says is due him for the upkeep of the aircraft and meals and accommodations provided the hostages during their week-long stay at Entebbe Airport under the guns of pro-Palestinian terrorists and Ugandan troops.
The “bill,” which the French national air line reportedly agreed to pay, comes to about 200 Francs ($50) a day for meals served the hostages while they were Amin’s “guests.” The air bus took off from Entebbe today after French technicians repaired bullet holes in the fuselage. The plane, due in Paris tonight, sustained slight damage during the Israeli rescue operation of July 3.