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Report: Turkish passenger plane hijacked 18 minutes ago



Hijackers claiming to have bombs and to be members of al-Qaida hijacked a Turkish passenger plane on Saturday as it was heading from northern Cyprus to Istanbul, officials and passengers said.

The hijackers ......

Most of the passengers managed to escape ......

Cyprus has been divided between a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish-occupied north since 1974, when Turkey invaded after an abortive Athens-backed coup by supporters of union with Greece.

THE ABOVE IS AN EXTRACT FROM AP NEWS AGENCY (AS PRINTED BY YAHOO NEWS ON AUGUST 19, 2007). THE NEWS IS THAT A TURKISH PLANE HAS BEEN HIGHJACKED BY ARABIC SPEAKING TERORISTS, ON ITS FLIGHT FROM CYPRUS TO TURKIA.

WHAT REALLY INTERESTED ME WAS ACTUALLY THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE YAHOO NEWS, WHERE THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN CYPRUS IS JUSTLY SUMMERISED, IN A WAY RARELY EXERCISED BY GENERALLY PRO-GREEK WESTERN PRESS. IS THERE A CHANGE IN THE WINDS, OR WHAT?

FOR FULL STORY:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070818/ap_on_re_mi_ea/turkey_hijacked_plane&printer=1;_ylt=AgHq_Hx4LNp8VjiMxKncUtoUewgF

4 passengers are still on board plus 2 pilots . The plane lost control in the air for a while and passengers were terrified...

The plane is still currently being re-fuelled in Antalya and is reported to be heading for Iran.

I pray for a peaceful end

I heard that the hijackers wanted to go to Iran or Syria but that the pilots chose to land in Antalya. The plane is from the aircompany Jet Air or Atlas Air (two different news agencies). In the latest update in Holland (09.15 AM) they say that only the crew is on the plane, all passengers could escape.

Let's really hope for a peaceful end.

So sad!
I am with you, praying for the peaceful end.

News update is that the two terrorists are both Iranian nationals; students from a Cyprus University.

It seems odd that two Iranians should attempt to hijack a Turkish plane, just a day before a Turkish Minister will travel to Iran for an energy agreement.

Here you can see the passengers leaving the plane:

http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2007/8/18/180807_kaping_antalya.html

Now, there are just 2 hostesses and the pirates in the plabeç

The hijacking is over! The 2 men gave oneselves in to the police!

Great news!

Ohhh,Elhamdülillah
How did it take since first started ?
Time i mean,when did it hijacked ?

I think it happened around 9am Turkish time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6952594.stm

i was just wondering how could these hijackers can escape the very tight maximum security measures being implemented and followed before entering the airport premises, upon checking-in and boarding in an airplane.

After this 911 event, the FAA issued an Airworthiness Directives to install a security lock inside the cockpit door so it wont be opened from outside but only the Captain and FO (First Officer) or if there is one, a Flight Mechanic (an observer).

And also, any pointed things including nail cutters, and bottled waters were not allowed to be kept in the hand carried bags of the passengers but be included in the baggage.

Well, I do know you work in the aviation industry Pizza, but I think its a bit naive to imagine that the current airport security measures will prevent another terrorist hijack.

Its true that you cannot take sharp objects or liquids in your hand luggage. However, once you are into the airport lounge you can purchase many things that could be used as weapons!!! Unfortunately the airports are too greedy to limit the sales in these areas.

Also, it is ridiculous that a charter flight containing a group of elderly English going to Spain (for example) is subjected to the same level of security as a schedule flight containing passengers of multi-nationalities travelling to the US. Until airport security start targeting high risk flights and screening passenger lists, there will be a very real risk of further attacks. In the UK we had a situation recently where a 65 year old woman travelling to Scotland was body searched, while an Afghan woman travelling to the US and wearing a burqa was left alone (even after setting off the detector) because security did not want to "cause offence".

Furthermore, terrorists are very patient. It will not be long before there are terrorists working as trained pilots for airline companies (there may be some already). They can just choose their moment and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

However having said all that this particular attempt to hijack was actually very badly organised! The terrorists were unable to gain access to the cockpit, had no weapons and had to accept the pilots decision to re-fuel at Antalya where passengers and pilots promptly escaped!