UIGHURS BEHIND HIJACK BID DEAD

Beijing, July 2: Two suspected Uighur separatists, who allegedly tried to hijack a Chinese plane using a broken crutch as a weapon, have died after being severely injured in their botched attempt, officials said.

The two men were among six suspected hijackers on the Tianjin Airlines’ Flight GS 7554 that witnessed a mid-air drama in the restive Xinjiang region on Friday, when crew and passengers reportedly overpowered the suspects.

State-run daily Global Times reported that two of the six men have died in a hospital from injuries sustained during a fight with passengers and crew.

Two other suspects, who reportedly mutilated themselves, were being treated in a hospital in Hotan.

“The six hijackers, who ranged in age from 20 to 36, are from the city of Kashi, Hou Hanmin,” a spokesperson for the region’s press office, said.

The flight had 92 passengers and 9 crew members onboard, 10 of whom were injured. The paper said the men tried to break into the cockpit with a broken crutch and attempted to ignite explosives, however, they were quickly overpowered.

An official said six police officers on the passenger list were instrumental in foiling the attempt. “Nearly all the officers are Uyghur people, who took fast action after distracting the hijackers,” he said. Authorities are investigating how the passengers managed to bring explosives on board.

Airports in Xinjiang as well as flights to and from the province have the highest security checks in China as the province has experienced several such hijacking bids. — PTI