The person at the center of this case
Western Airlines Flight 701 passengers and crew
Cold Case · Open
54 years waiting · since 1972
CATHERINE MARIE KERKOW
Justice for Western Airlines Flight 701 passengers and crew — the trail went cold in 1972, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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person
Lead #1Kerkow's current whereabouts remain unknown despite being wanted for over 50 years; she may have ties to Oregon, France, Switzerland, Algeria, Jordan, and Cuba.
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suspect
Lead #2What is the identity and current status of Kerkow's accomplice who was extradited to the United States?
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evidence
Lead #3Was the bomb threat on Flight 701 genuine or a hoax? What evidence was recovered regarding the attache case?
Catherine Marie Kerkow is wanted for her alleged involvement in the hijacking of Western Airlines Flight 701 on June 3, 1972, during which she and an accomplice claimed to have a bomb and demanded $500,000. After passengers were released in San Francisco, the hijackers flew to Algeria where they received political asylum. Kerkow's accomplice was eventually extradited to the United States, but Kerkow's whereabouts remain unknown despite a federal arrest warrant issued in 1972.
Case
#677
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
📞
contact
Lead #4Kerkow is known to speak English and French; has she maintained contact with anyone in her known network of countries?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Air Piracy Caution: Catherine Marie Kerkow is wanted for her alleged involvement in the hijacking of Western Airlines Flight 701 which was to fly from Los Angeles, California, to Seattle, Washington, on June 3, 1972. A member of the Black Panthers, Kerkow and an accomplice claimed they had a bomb in an attache case and demanded $500,000.
After allowing the 97 passengers to get off the plane in San Francisco, California, Kerkow and her accomplice flew to Algeria where they were granted political asylum. On January 25, 1975, the two hijackers, using fake passports, were arrested on illegal entry charges in France.
Kerkow's accomplice was eventually extradited to the United States, but Kerkow's whereabouts remain unknown. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Kerkow in the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, on June 5, 1972, after she was charged with air piracy.
Remarks: Kerkow is known to speak English and French. She may have ties to Oregon, France, Switzerland, Algeria, Jordan, and Cuba.
Timeline of Events
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1972-06-03
Western Airlines Flight 701 Hijacking
Catherine Marie Kerkow and accomplice hijacked Western Airlines Flight 701 en route from Los Angeles to Seattle, claiming to have a bomb in an attache case and demanding $500,000.
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1972-06-03
Passengers Released in San Francisco
All 97 passengers were allowed to disembark in San Francisco; hijackers continued to Algeria.
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1975-01-25
Arrest in France
Kerkow's accomplice was arrested in France on illegal entry charges using a fake passport. The accomplice was eventually extradited to the United States.
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1972-06-05
Federal Arrest Warrant Issued
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Catherine Marie Kerkow in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, on charges of air piracy.
Key Locations
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Case Information
Incident:June 3, 1972
Last Updated:October 29, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:June 3, 1972
Last Updated:October 29, 2026