Hijacked airliner with 199 heads for London

A HIJACKED Sudan Airways aircraft with 199 passengers and crew on board was flying early today towards London where its armed…

A HIJACKED Sudan Airways aircraft with 199 passengers and crew on board was flying early today towards London where its armed hijackers intend to surrender and seek political asylum, police said in Cyprus, where the aircraft refuelled.

The Airbus 310 Flight 150 was hijacked on its way from Khartoum to the Jordanian capital of Amman yesterday and landed at Larnaca airport in Cyprus after it ran low on fuel.

One hijacker was apparently armed with grenades and TNT and had threatened to blow up the aircraft unless it was refuelled and they were taken to London, a police spokesman, Mr Glafcos Xenos, said.

"They will surrender the passengers there and surrender themselves," Mr Xenos said at Larnaca airport.

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The number of hijackers was not known. One of them negotiated with the pilot in English. The pilot said several hijackers appeared to be placed around the aircraft. There were no reports of injuries.