.LAHORE FGN36
2NDLDALL HIJACK
Hijacked IA plane heads for Dubai
Lahore, Dec 24 (PTI) An Indian Airlines Airbus hijacked during a flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi with 187 passengers and crew on board was tonight on its way to Dubai after a dramatic journey that took it to Amritsar and Lahore during which four passengers were reportedly shot dead by five heavily-armed hijackers.
After being hijacked in midair over Lucknow, the plane made a 25 minute halt for refuelling at Amritsar before being commandeered to Lahore from where it left for Kabul at 10:35 PM IST.
The Union Civil Aviation Secretary Ravindra Gupta told reporters in New Delhi that according to intercepted messages the hijackers told the air control towers in Kabul and Kandhar they wanted to land there but they failed to do so as the two airports do not have night landing facilities.
The plane has now apparently left for Dubai with about three hours of fuel, senior officials said in Delhi. PTI MKR JC SA 12242344
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.NEWDEL DEL140
HIJACK-ADVANI
Advani reaches Crisis Management Centre
New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Home Minister L K Advani drove shortly after midnight to the Crisis Management Centre in the Civil Aviation Ministry handling the hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft even as it headed towards Dubai.
Advani joined top civil aviation and security officials in the control room as they grappled with the unprecedented hijacking of the Indian airliner. PTI MS ARC SA 12250016
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.NEWDEL DEL141
HIJACK-JASWANT-UAE
Jaswant Singh in touch with UAE to ensure safety of passengers
New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh is in touch with authorities in United Arab Emirates (UAE) to allow the hijacked Indian Airlines flight to land at Dubai, where it was reportedly heading after being commandeered while on its way from Kathmandu to New Delhi this evening, official sources said here.
Jaswant Singh has also spoken to India's ambassador in UAE K C Singh who is rushing to Dubai from Abu Dhabi.
Asked about the possibility of the Airbus A-300 landing at Muscat, the sources said "at present the indications are that the aircraft is heading for Dubai".
The aircraft has just enough fuel to make it to Dubai, they said, adding the situation is continuously being monitored and all efforts being made to ensure the safety of the passengers on board. PTI ARC GKS SA 12250041
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.DUBAI FGN37
HIJACK-LD DUBAI
Hijacked plane headed for Dubai or Muscat
Dubai, Dec 24 (PTI) The Indian Airlines plane hijacked on its flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi was tonight headed either for Dubai or Muscat, Indian Consul General A Mukherjee said here.
Airport authorities here said the plane, which took off from Lahore at 2035 hours IST, has not yet landed in Dubai. (MORE) PTI CORR PAL SC AKK 12250047
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.DUBAI FGN38
HIJACK-LD DUBAI 2
The authorities said as a general rule hijacked aircraft are not allowed to land in UAE.
An AFP report quoting airport security officials said Omani authorities had refused permission for the aircraft to land at Muscat airport. MORE PTI CORR PAL SC RKC AKK 12250051
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.NEWDEL DEL142
HIJACK-2NDLD DUBAI (Changing dateline)
Hijacked plane allowed landing in Dubai
New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The hijacked Indian Airlines plane was tonight given permission to land at Dubai international airport, an official spokesperson said here. More pti ms arc pal sc rkc SA 12250101
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.NEWDEL DEL143
HIJACK-2ND LD DUBAI 2
The United Arab Emirates gave the permission to the hijacked aircraft to land when the pilot contacted the Dubai airport authorities, the spokesperson said.
The expected time of touchdown is 0130 hrs IST, she added. pti ms arc pal sc rkc SA 12250103
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.NEWDEL DEL144
HIJACK-ACCOUNT TWO
20:25 - Hijackers make contact with Pakistani authorities after the aircraft is allowed to land "on humanitarian grounds" as it was nearly out of fuel, ask for fuel and food
20:25 - Aircraft refuels at Lahore.
20:30 - Flight engineer accompanied by one hijacker come out to rectify technical snag in one of the engines
20:37 - Aircraft takes off from Lahore, heads for Kabul
23:00 - Kabul ATC refuses permission for the Airbus A-300 to land saying it has no night landing facilities. Aircraft heads for Dubai
00:45 - Hijacked airliner denied permission to land in Muscat 01:00 - Airliner allowed to land in Dubai MORE PTI GKS RN PAL GKS 12250112
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.NEWDEL DEL145
HIJACK-CASUALTIES
Killing of 4 passengers by hijackers not "absolutely certain"
New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Union Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav said late tonight it was not absolutely certain that four passengers had been killed by the hijackers of the Indian Airlines airbus that was hijacked during its flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi.
The pilot of the hijacked plane Capt D Saran had earlier told the authorities at Amritsar airport that the hijackers had killed four of the 187 people on board.
Civil Aviation Secretary Ravindra Gupta said "one hijacker came into the cockpit and told the pilot to tell the Air Traffic Control that four persons had been shot dead and five injured." PTI ARC MS SC PAL PAL 12250121
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.NEWDEL DEL146
HIJACK-DUBAI-LAND
Hijacked IA plane lands near Abu Dhabi
New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The hijacked Indian Airlines plane carrying 187 people landed at an airbase near Abu Dhabi at 0135 hrs IST. (MORE) PTI MS ARC SC PAL 12250147
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.NEWDEL DEL147 HIJACK-DUBAI-LAND 2 LAST
Civil Aviation Secretary Ravindra Gupta said the plane apparently landed for refuelling. PTI MS ARC SC AKK
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