From observation the Royal Dutch Marines (NL special forces) knew where the hostages and hostage takers where sleeping.
The offensive started with Two F-16's doing low fly-by's over the train, meanwhile nearby commando experts simulate airplane bombings by detonating ground explosives. Sniper's and marksmen take aim and start a hail of bullits on the compartments that they know the hijackers are sleeping in. 5 Marine groups meanwhile make it to the train, secure the hijackers and free the hostages.
The whole attack took just over 10 minutes, 8 minutes of shooting/barrage and 3 minutes for the marines to raid the compartments. 6 out of 9 hijackers died in the attack. 2 hostages also died, 1 because she was sleeping in another part of the train then the other hostages, and 1 cause he panicked and got into the line of fire between the leader of the hijackers and the Marines.
Upon hearing this news the 4 hostage takers at a school in nearby Bovensmilde decide to surrender and end the hostage situation wich started the same day as the train hijacking. The 105 children (age 6-12) where released earlier on day 4 due to "sickness/food poisioning"
(theory is the Dutch put something in the food supplies so the children would become ill and the hostage takers where forced to release them.)
This was the last terrorist act of Moluccans in the Netherlands to date. Consensus about the harsh intervention was easily reached as an earlier hijacking in 1975 resulted in 3 deaths and the particular incident involved the kidnapping of 105 small children.
Video's:
English language animation reconstruction about the hijacking
Dutch language animation reconstruction about the hijacking (same as above)
Pictures:
One of the compartments of the train
Controlled explosions from commando's to simulate airplane bombs
Dutch IFV next to the front of the train
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Dutch_train_hostage_crisis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Dutch_school_hostage_crisis
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