Historic Hostage Exchange Gone Awry

It was a Cold War era situation.

The Soviets stood upon Big Diomede Island at 7:00am looking across the grey morning ocean waters.  They were waiting for the hour to strike half past. It was time to make a trade. With them stood American prisoner of war Corporal Chridhe.

Just two miles away stood Little Diomede Island where the Americans prepared to board a launch with their prisoner, Lieutenant General Sydämensä, a hostage they'd held for nearly two decades.

At 7:30am both parties set out across the waters, slowly, cautiously.  About 15 minutes later they met.

The Americans had long complained of the unfairness of keeping Chridhe so long.  The Russians simply retorted that it was wrong to keep Sydämensä imprisoned.

Today there would be an even exchange and it would be finished.

Both vessels came along side each other.  The prisoners stood at the sides clutching the railing against the gentle swell.

Suddenly, as if it were choreographed, both Sydämensä and Chridhe acted in the same manner:  they violently attacked and tossed all the men on their boats into the water, then grabbed the wheel and throttled up, turning and heading back to the lands of their imprisonment.

The hostage exchange had truly gone inexplicably awry.