DATE=2/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=BRITAIN / HIJACK (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-258973
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Police officials at Stansted Airport, outside
London, say the situation on a hijacked Afghan
airliner is again calm. Tensions mounted after four
crewmembers made a daring night-time escape from the
aircraft. Correspondent Laurie Kassman reports a
fifth crewmember was later pushed down the stairs at
the back of the plane.
TEXT: Essex police official John Broughton says calm
has been restored on the airliner after several hours
of a tense stand-off between the Afghan hijackers and
negotiators.
/// BROUGHTON ACT ///
We were able to build on the trust and cooperation
that we developed to allow us to restore calm to the
aircraft. And it is now back to a situation - if
there is such a thing as a routine - where we are back
into the routine of delivering fuel for the generator,
delivering food.
/// END ACT ///
The change in mood was sparked by the daring night-
time escape of four crewmembers. The pilot, co-pilot,
and two others climbed out a cockpit window and down
an escape ladder. They jumped to the ground and ran
away from the airplane before the hijackers were aware
of what was happening. Even the police and
negotiators were taken by surprise.
The episode was captured by T-V cameras that have been
focused on the hijacked 7-2-7 jet since it landed at
Stansted in the early morning hours Monday.
A few-hours later, the hijackers were seen pushing a
fifth crewmember down the stairs at the back of the
plane. At mid-morning, several of the hijackers
descended the steps to pick up another delivery of
food and medicine.
Police officials say negotiations have resumed and the
situation for 150-men, women, and children on board
the cramped aircraft is calm.
Police will not comment on the substance of their
negotiations or what the hijackers are demanding. But
British media now are speculating the hijackers may be
seeking political asylum.
That speculation was fueled by the arrival of a
representative of the U-N High Commissioner for
Refugees at the airport.
A U-N-H-C-R spokesman told V-O-A that she is there as
an independent, humanitarian observer and is not
taking part in the negotiations. The spokesman says
the question of asylum has not come up and is not
something the U-N-H-C-R would handle here. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/GE/RAE
09-Feb-2000 08:21 AM EDT (09-Feb-2000 1321 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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