RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Two would-be hijackers are in custody in Sudan after a failed attempt to commandeer a Saudi Airlines jetliner, Saudi authorities say.
The Airbus A300 was en route to the Saudi city of Jeddah from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, said Osman Ali ab-Bakar, a spokesman for the Saudi information ministry.
It turned back after the hijack attempt, and Sudanese authorities were investigating the incident, he said.
The airline issued a statement saying a would-be hijacker carrying a pistol was arrested by security agents onboard the aircraft 20 minutes into the flight.
The airline said the aircraft was carrying 185 passengers and 19 crew members.
Ab-Bakar said the suspects — one of whom is a Saudi citizen, another of unknown nationality — were in Sudanese custody.
All passengers and crew aboard the Airbus 300 returned to Khartoum and were safe, Maj. Gen. Sayyid al-Husseini, spokesman for Sudan’s Interior Ministry, told The Associated Press.
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link: http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/10/15/saudi.hijack/index.html
By: A330Crazy - 17th October 2002 at 19:49
RE: Saudi hijack attempt foiled.
Sorry Kabir… didn’t see this thread.
It just goes to show that still anyone can board an aircraft with anything.
And like T5. 19 crew members on an A300 aircraft does sound a mighty load of PAX???
By: T5 - 17th October 2002 at 19:41
RE: Saudi hijack attempt foiled.
I’m quite surprised nobody has posted a reply to this topic. If they wouldn’t have been stopped, I dread to think what the outcome would have been!
I wonder why they had 19 members of crew on board? Any ideas?
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October 15, 2002 at 4:27 pm