Turkish plane hijacker surrenders
 |
The hijacked Turkish Airlines plane in Athens.
Story Tools
|
ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- The lone suspect in the hijacking of a Turkish Airlines plane has surrendered after releasing 203 passengers and crew at the international airport in Athens.
Greek authorities have arrested the suspect, 20-year-old Turkish student Ozgur Gencaslan, according to journalist Anthee Carassavas.
The six-hour ordeal abroad Flight TK 160 began after the A-310 Airbus was hijacked shortly after taking off from Istanbul.
It landed in Athens about 11:59 p.m. (4:50 p.m. ET) Friday.
All 203 passengers are now safe, including two pilots who had been held during the final stages of intense negotiations between the suspect and Greek and Turkish officials, Carassavas said.
Authorities have not yet said what sort of weapon the suspect may have used to commandeer the plane.
Greek Foreign Minister Georges Papandreou said no one was injured during the ordeal.
Turkey has sent a plane to Athens to bring the passengers to Ankara, their original destination, Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said.
The hijacker had demanded to be taken to Germany, because his mother and sister had been arrested there, the Turkish minister said.
Top-ranking Turkish officials, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had all spoken to the suspect by phone to try and end the hijacking.
At least three Turkish parliamentarians, two from the current ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), were among the passengers.
Two Greek military jets were deployed to follow the plane into the airport.
