Sochi-bound plane attempted hijacking via bomb threat -- lands safely in Turkey

ISTANBUL--Turkey said a plane from Kharkiv, Ukraine, with 110 passengers landed safely at an airport in Istanbul after one traveler issued a bomb threat and tried to redirect the plane to Sochi, where Russia is staging the Winter Olympics.

Pilots sent a signal that the plane was being hijacked before entering Turkey's airspace, said Habib Soluk, an undersecretary at the Transportation Ministry, during a live interview with the NTV news channel. The hijacker has been rendered ineffective, according to NTV reports that haven't been confirmed by officials.

No one was hurt, Mr. Soluk said.

Turkey scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to accompany Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines' flight as it flew over the Black Sea to land at Sabiha Gokcen Airport on Istanbul's Asian side, which was its original final destination, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Turkish authorities received a hijacking alert at 5:20 p.m. and the fighter jets took off 20 minutes later from the northwestern province of Balikesir, Anadolu reported. The Boeing 737 landed at 6:05 p.m. local time, Pegasus said in a statement, about a half hour before its scheduled arrival time.

"A citizen of Ukraine declared that he had a bomb on him, and demanded the plane to be directed to Sochi... The pilots calmly landed the plane at Sabiha Gokcen," Mr. Soluk said, adding that the man hadn't entered the plane's cockpit.

smelly_bandit wrote:I see the peace loving Muslims are already trying to murder innocent people in the name of their blood god

But it's ok because Christians are much worse

"A citizen of Ukraine declared that he had a bomb on him, and demanded the plane to be directed to Sochi... The pilots calmly landed the plane at Sabiha Gokcen," Mr. Soluk said, adding that the man hadn't entered the plane's cockpit.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasyl Zvarych said the alleged hijacker is a Ukrainian citizen born in 1969. The Ukrainian consul is at the airport in Turkey to help Ukrainian citizens who were on board, he said.

Mr. Zvarych said he wasn't convinced the attempt was terrorism of any sort, but that Ukraine's security service, the SBU, will try to investigate further.

A representative for the SBU said in a statement that the passenger was "heavily drunk," according to the Interfax news agency. "He tried to enter the pilot's cabin, calling out, 'Let's fly to Sochi,' " the representative said, according to Interfax.

The representative said that "they calmed [the passenger] down and checked him," and he didn't have explosives or weapons. Interfax also reported that the person was detained upon arrival in Istanbul, which hasn't been verified by Turkish officials.

Turkish television stations aired an image, purportedly from inside the plane, allegedly depicting the hijacker and a stewardess flanked by another member of the cabin crew.

The alleged hijacker was seated at 2F, a window seat in the second row, according to media reports corroborated by the image.

The image showed a middle-aged man with gray hair and a receding hairline. The sideshot of the alleged hijacker showed him stooping as he moved toward the corridor, wearing a sports jersey in red, white and blue.

Istanbul Gov. Huseyin Avni Mutlu also arrived at the airport and is being briefed by authorities.

Whatever the alleged hijacker's intentions or actions, the timing of the incident is bound to raise already-high tensions about security at the Sochi Olympics, which began Thursday.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:I see the peace loving Muslims are already trying to murder innocent people in the name of their blood god

But it's ok because Christians are much worse

I think we ought to change your screen name to Smelly_Genius!

"A citizen of Ukraine declared that he had a bomb on him, and demanded the plane to be directed to Sochi... The pilots calmly landed the plane at Sabiha Gokcen," Mr. Soluk said, adding that the man hadn't entered the plane's cockpit.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasyl Zvarych said the alleged hijacker is a Ukrainian citizen born in 1969. The Ukrainian consul is at the airport in Turkey to help Ukrainian citizens who were on board, he said.

Mr. Zvarych said he wasn't convinced the attempt was terrorism of any sort, but that Ukraine's security service, the SBU, will try to investigate further.

A representative for the SBU said in a statement that the passenger was "heavily drunk," according to the Interfax news agency. "He tried to enter the pilot's cabin, calling out, 'Let's fly to Sochi,' " the representative said, according to Interfax.

The representative said that "they calmed [the passenger] down and checked him," and he didn't have explosives or weapons. Interfax also reported that the person was detained upon arrival in Istanbul, which hasn't been verified by Turkish officials.

Turkish television stations aired an image, purportedly from inside the plane, allegedly depicting the hijacker and a stewardess flanked by another member of the cabin crew.

The alleged hijacker was seated at 2F, a window seat in the second row, according to media reports corroborated by the image.

The image showed a middle-aged man with gray hair and a receding hairline. The sideshot of the alleged hijacker showed him stooping as he moved toward the corridor, wearing a sports jersey in red, white and blue.

Istanbul Gov. Huseyin Avni Mutlu also arrived at the airport and is being briefed by authorities.

Whatever the alleged hijacker's intentions or actions, the timing of the incident is bound to raise already-high tensions about security at the Sochi Olympics, which began Thursday.

BERLIN — A Ukrainian man suspected of trying to hijack and divert an Istanbul-bound plane Friday to Sochi was likely acting alone out of outrage over a crackdown on protesters in Ukraine, Ukrainian and Turkish security officials said Saturday.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced the opening of criminal proceedings against Artem Hozlov, identified by Turkish officials as the suspect who demanded the Kharkiv-Istanbul flight be diverted to Sochi on Friday evening, where the Winter Olympics were opening.

SBU's head of investigations, Maxim Lenko, told reporters the suspect said he wanted to go to Sochi because that was "where (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and (Ukrainian leader) Viktor Yanukovych are meeting, both of whom have blood on their hands," the Ukraine daily Kommersant reported.

Hozlov also demanded the release of "all hostages in Ukraine," in a reference to detained anti-government protesters, Lenko said. Ongoing anti-government protests broke out in November in Ukraine, and have led to at least four deaths and dozens of activists' arrests.

Ben_Reilly wrote:We're waiting ...

Oh wait:

BERLIN — A Ukrainian man suspected of trying to hijack and divert an Istanbul-bound plane Friday to Sochi was likely acting alone out of outrage over a crackdown on protesters in Ukraine, Ukrainian and Turkish security officials said Saturday.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced the opening of criminal proceedings against Artem Hozlov, identified by Turkish officials as the suspect who demanded the Kharkiv-Istanbul flight be diverted to Sochi on Friday evening, where the Winter Olympics were opening.

SBU's head of investigations, Maxim Lenko, told reporters the suspect said he wanted to go to Sochi because that was "where (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and (Ukrainian leader) Viktor Yanukovych are meeting, both of whom have blood on their hands," the Ukraine daily Kommersant reported.

Hozlov also demanded the release of "all hostages in Ukraine," in a reference to detained anti-government protesters, Lenko said. Ongoing anti-government protests broke out in November in Ukraine, and have led to at least four deaths and dozens of activists' arrests.

Sorry, Smelly! I'm sure this deflates your hate-boner  ::roglol:: ::roglol:: ::roglol:: 

Ben_Reilly wrote:Still waiting, Smelly. Can't find anything saying he was a Muslim yet, can you ...

Ben_Reilly wrote:Hmmm ... what does your wife tell you every time you want to have sex?

smelly_bandit wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:Hmmm ... what does your wife tell you every time you want to have sex?

To put in a mask and call myself Ben