| 1985 Lahad Datu ambush | |
|---|---|
| Part of Piracy in Asia and Cross border attacks in Sabah | |
| Location | Lahad Datu, Sabah |
| Coordinates | 5°1′48″N 118°20′24″E / 5.03000°N 118.34000°E |
| Date | 23 September 1985 – 24 September 1985 (1 day) Afternoon until next morning (UTC+8) |
Attack type | Bank robbery, robbery, random shootings |
| Weapons | M16 rifle, machine guns, rocket launchers and hand grenades |
| Deaths | 21 (excluding 5 perpetrators) |
| Injured | 11 (excluding 2 perpetrators) |
| Perpetrators | Moro Pirates from the Southern Philippines |
| Motive | Robbery |
The 1985 Lahad Datu ambush was a series of robberies and random shootings that occurred on 23 September 1985 when 15–20[1][2] armed foreign pirates landed on the coast of Lahad Datu, Malaysia, and stormed the town. The pirates shot at random targets, killing at least 21 people and injuring 11 others,[1][2] and stole some $200,000 from a local bank as well as another $5,000 from the Malaysia Airlines office.[3]