Man Arrested in Turkey for Trying to Hijack Plane
Shortly after the Pegasus airline Boeing 737 took off from Diyarbakir, the man announced he had a bomb and he wanted the plane diverted to the capital, Ankara. When the plane landed at Ankara, no bomb was found.
A man who allegedly commandeered a Turkish jetliner Tuesday by threatening to set off a bomb was detained after the plane landed in Ankara, but no explosives were found, authorities said.
Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said a passenger announced he had a bomb after the Pegasus airline Boeing 737 took off from Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast.
The man, identified as Mehmet Goksin Gol, 39, initially said he wanted the plane diverted to the capital, Ankara, but changed his mind and demanded it fly to Tehran, Iran, Yildirim said. But the pilots landed at Ankara and the man gave himself up about 40 minutes later.
Yildirim said the man did not make any political demands and the reason for the hijacking was still under investigation.
No injuries were reported among the 178 passengers and six crew members.
News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Site Publication" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.
We Recommend
-
News
30 Killed in Cargo Plane Crash in Iraq
At least 30 people were killed Tuesday when a Russian-made, Turkish cargo plane crashed during landing due to bad weather and fog at a U.S military base in Iraq.
-
Press Release
Jet With 56 Aboard Crashes in Turkey
The MD-83 crashed on a rocky mountain shortly before it was due to land in southwest Turkey early Friday.
-
News
Bomb Squad Sweeps Plane after Passenger Detained at San Antonio Airport
The man had apparently tampered with the smoke detector, and ceiling tiles had also been moved.
-
Press Release
NYC Plane Searched for Bomb
Someone reported finding a bomb threat against the plane on the Internet.
