The Hindu : BCAS will investigate 'hijack' attempt on Air Seychelles

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2002

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BCAS will investigate 'hijack' attempt on Air Seychelles

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi Sept. 9. The Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS) will investigate the alleged "hijack'' attempt on board a scheduled Air Seychelles flight, HM01017, from Mumbai to Seychelles via Male (Maldives) today.

The Commissioner of BCAS, Tarun Kant Mitra, is leaving for Mumbai tomorrow to probe whether there was a security lapse at the Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport.

Security has been tightened at the airport.

Preliminary reports say that a passenger holding an Indian passport was overpowered by passengers and crew while attempting to enter the cockpit of the Boeing 737 aircraft flashing a knife.

One of the crew members suffered a "slight injury'' in the incident. There were 64 passengers on board.

The incident happened 20 minutes before the aircraft landed at the Male international airport at about 5 a.m. (local time).

According to the man, who attempted to enter the cockpit, he intended to divert the aircraft, the Maldives Police informed the Indian authorities.

They have arrested him and have questioned some other passengers.

Official sources said it was not clear whether it was an hijack attempt or "something else''.

Several domestic and international airlines, including Indian Airlines and Air India have turned to using plastic cutlery on board after the September 11 terrorist attack in the U.S. last year.

The Civil Aviation Minister, Shahnawaz Hussain, said no hijack alert was sounded by the pilot of the aircraft to the Air Traffic Control in Mumbai or elsewhere. He said investigations were on to establish the motive and the manner in which the alleged attempt was made to hijack the aircraft.

He said it appeared that the knife used by the passenger was part of the "steel cutlery'' on board. However, the incident was being investigated and Indian authorities would cooperate with Maldives to establish the identity of the passenger, the motive and the manner in which the alleged attempt was made to hijack the plane.

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