Turkish airlines flight hijacked ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- A Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Ankara was hijacked Friday and was heading to Athens, Greece, private CNN-Turk television reported. The Airbus aircraft was hijacked after takeoff from Istanbul and was approaching Athens airport, CNN-Turk television reported. The plane at first diverted course and began heading toward the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, but later changed course again and began going toward neighboring Greece, private NTV television reported. There was no information on the hijackers. CNN-Turk television said 203 people -- 194 passengers and 9 crew members -- were aboard.
Passengers freed in Turkey hijack ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- All passengers aboard a hijacked Turkish Airlines plane have been released unharmed in the Greek city of Athens. However the fate of one male student, believed to be the lone hijacker and a Turkish national, is not yet known, according to journalist Anthee Carassavas. Flight TK 160, carrying 196 passengers and eight crew members, was hijacked shortly after leaving Istanbul and landed in Athens about 11:59 p.m. (4:50 p.m. ET) Friday. The A-310 Airbus had been scheduled to fly to Ankara at 10 p.m. (3 p.m. ET), and it was trailed by two Greek military jets as it landed in Athens. In a televised statement, the Turkish transportation minister said the hijacker or hijackers had demanded the plane fly to Germany. At least three Turkish parliamentarians, two from the current ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), were among the passengers. German air-traffic controller Alex Raab, in Langen, said counterparts in Athens said the hijackers want to go to Tegel, one of Berlin's three airports. The flight takes about three hours, Raab said. Several of the passengers had made calls to people outside the plane on cell-phones, Carassavas said. The hijacking occurred about 10:20 p.m. ET, news reports said. Talk about good news.
