Turkish plane hijacking ends as hostages freed

By Mehmet Tikir

ANTALYA, Turkey (Reuters) - Two men hijacked an airliner heading for Istanbul from northern Cyprus on Saturday, but gave themselves up and released their hostages after forcing the plane to land in southern Turkey.

Soon after landing most of the 136 passengers were released or broke out through emergency exits, running along the wings and jumping down onto the tarmac.

The pilots also escaped but four passengers and two crew members were held hostage as negotiations took place.

Turkish Interior Minister Osman Gunes said one hijacker was Turkish and the other had a Syrian passport but could be Palestinian. Their motives were being investigated.

"One of them apparently apologised to the Turkish people," Gunes told reporters after the five-hour drama came to an end.

Fifteen minutes after take-off one of the hijackers tried to force the cockpit door open and told passengers he was a member of al Qaeda, Governor Alaaddin Yuksel said. Police also arrested a passenger suspected of being linked to the hijackers, he said.

Turkish Cypriot passenger Ercan Tekkan told Reuters the hijackers said they had a bomb, but did not want to hurt anyone.

"The plane made some manoeuvres and we thought the plane was going to crash ... Then the plane landed and the pilots escaped from the cockpit while the hijackers kept kicking the cockpit door," he said.