Turkish officials say two men who hijacked an Atlasjet flight from northern Cyprus to Istanbul have peacefully surrendered to police.
Authorities say they also detained one passenger as a suspected accomplice.
Witnesses say the two hijackers claimed to have a bomb as they seized control of the flight shortly after takeoff early today. Passengers interviewed after the incident on Turkish television said the hijackers claimed to have ties with al-Qaida.
The hijackers demanded to be flown to Syria or Iran, but the pilots convinced them to land for refueling at Antalya Airport in southwestern Turkey.
Once on the ground, most of the flight's 136 passengers and crew escaped or were released. The pilots jumped to the tarmac through the cockpit windows. The hijackers surrendered after freeing the remaining passengers and crew.
Authorities say one suspect is Turkish. The other has a Syrian passport, but is believed to be Palestinian. The motive for the hijacking is not clear.
Cyprus has been divided into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the island in response to a Greek-backed military coup in Nicosia. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot state.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
