Madrid, July 19: A Colombian passenger jet with 148 passengers on board made an emergency landing in Spain today after an apparently deranged man armed with a knife attempted to hijack it, police said.
The airbus jet, operated by Avianca and en route from Bogota, was escorted by two fighter jets to the Torrejon military air base near Madrid, police added.
The Spanish Europa Press Agency said that once the plane was on the tarmac, elite police troops went on board and arrested the alleged would-be hijacker, who had also claimed he was carrying an explosive device.
Police said that no bomb was found.
National radio said all the passengers had left the plane unharmed, and were transferred by bus to Madrid's civil airport.
Bureau Report
