By Jon Donnis
Flight 149: Hostage of War revisits one of the most extraordinary and, until recently, officially denied chapters of the Gulf War.
On 2 August 1990, as Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, a civilian aircraft unknowingly landed in the middle of the conflict. British Airways Flight 149 touched down just as the invasion began, and its passengers and crew soon found themselves trapped. They were held as hostages by Saddam Hussein and became pawns in an escalating international crisis that would reshape the region.
For more than thirty years, the British government denied having any prior knowledge of the invasion before the plane landed. Now, newly surfaced information is challenging that account. Survivors are taking legal action against both the British government and British Airways in their search for truth and accountability.
The film features powerful firsthand testimonies from those directly involved, including surviving hostages, Kuwaiti resistance fighters, investigative journalist Stephen Davis, and political insiders. Flight 149: Hostage of War explores a long-suppressed geopolitical scandal that continues to raise questions decades after it began.
Airing 11 June on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW.
