ANKARA, Turkey – An official says authorities have subdued a man who attempted to hijack a Turkish plane to Sochi, Russia, and that the other passengers have been evacuated.
Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the Istanbul governor, says on Twitter that “the operation has ended.”
In another tweet Friday, he said all passengers were evacuated “without any problems.”
An F-16 fighter plane was scrambled as soon as the pilot signaled there was a hijacking attempt and escorted the plane safely to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport, according to NTV television.
The news broke as athletes from nations around the world poured into the stadium for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, raising fears about security.