Newsmaker

Man who tried to hijack Italian plane overpowered

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-04-25 14:00

ROME - A man who tried to hijack a Paris-Rome flight on Sunday night and take it to Libya was overpowered by cabin crew during the flight and arrested when the plane arrived in Rome, officials said.

A statement from Alitalia airlines said the man had assaulted a flight attendant "and asked that the plane be taken to Tripoli".

Other attendants on flight AZ329 then overpowered the man, who was "clearly agitated" and the captain radioed police, who arrested the man when the plane landed, the statement said.

Italian media reports quoting police sources said the man was armed with what appeared to be a small knife.

The flight attendant was taken to a first aid station at Rome airport for treatment of minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.