Flight Lands in Turkey After Passenger Attempts to Hijack and Divert Flight to Sochi

Flight Lands in Turkey After Reported Hijack Attempt (Washington Free Beacon)

A passenger on a Ukrainian flight to Turkey Friday attempted to hijack a plane and divert it to Sochi, claiming there was a bomb on board.

NBC’s Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reported that the pilots did not try to resist but turned off the cockpit’s inflight monitors, making it more difficult for the hijacker to know where the plane was going. The plane continued on to Istanbul and once the plane entered Turkish airspace, Engel said, the pilots triggered an alarm signaling a hijacking. The plane was then escorted to Istanbul’s airport by two F-16 fighter jets.

The Associated Press has reported that Turkish authorities had subdued the attempted hijacker and placed him in custody. The crew and passengers were reported safe.