A WOMAN stabbed two pilots and threatened to blow up a plane during a harrowing mid-air drama on a New Zealand domestic flight early today, police said.
The pilots reported that a passenger attacked them in the cockpit, inflicting minor injuries, before making threats that she had a bomb. One of the other passengers on board - who included an Australian - was also hurt.
Police said a mayday call was received at 7.40am (5.40am AEDT) from an Air National flight heading from the provincial town of Blenheim to the main South Island airport in Christchurch. Inspector Kieren Kortegast said a woman attacked the two pilots before being restrained. The plane landed safely in Christchurch 20 minutes later and the passengers were taken to a private room. A 33-year-old Blenheim woman of Somali descent was taken into custody.
Flights to and from Christchurch were suspended for two hours while the aircraft was searched and the bomb squad defused a device thought to have been in the woman's bag. Police then said there were confident there was no bomb on board.
An Australian from Victoria was on board the flight, as were four New Zealand passengers, an Indian and the alleged hijacker. One pilot suffered severe cuts to his hand and the other had less severe cuts to his foot, police said. Another passenger was cut, as was the woman who sparked the drama. |