---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-44. Hijacking an aircraft.
collection: code
id: 16-5-44
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-44 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-44
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-44.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-44/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch1-6-(v14)-2019-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=af47a366_0#page=924
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-43.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-44.1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON / KIDNAPPING, FALSE IMPRISONMENT, AND RELATED OFFENSES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-5-44. Hijacking an aircraft.

(a) A person commits the offense of hijacking an aircraft when he (1) by use of force or (2) by intimidation by the use of threats or coercion places the pilot of an aircraft in fear of immediate serious bodily injury to himself or to another and causes the diverting of an aircraft from its intended destination to a destination dictated by such person.

(b) The offense of hijacking is declared to be a continuing offense from the point of beginning, and jurisdiction to try a person accused of the offense of hijacking shall be in any county of this state over which the aircraft is operated.

(c) A person convicted of the offense of hijacking an aircraft shall be punished by death or life imprisonment.

## History

Code 1933, § 26-3301, enacted by Ga. L. 1969, p. 741, § 1.

## Cross References

Time limitation on prosecutions for crimes, § 17-3-1.