Reports: Man Detained Following Attempt to Hijack Plane to Sochi

A Pegasus Airlines flight landed in Istanbul Friday after a passenger claimed to have a bomb and demanded to be taken to Sochi. Officials say the man did not have a bomb on him.

Updated - 4:03 p.m. ET:

A plane from Kharkov, Ukraine, made an emergency landing in Istanbul Friday after an apparent hijacking attempt, according to reports.

Plane from Ukraine lands in Istanbul after bomb threat. Passenger tried to direct to Sochi, Turkey says: http://t.co/CG51mClK4e

NTV television said that an F-16 fighter plane was scrambled as soon as the pilot signaled that there was a hijacking attempt. The plane from Kharkiv, Ukraine, landed safely at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport.

Authorities snuck onto the plane and subdued the suspected hijacker while the other 109 passengers were being evacuated, Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the Istanbul governor, the Associated Press reported. The man was slightly injured during the struggle, but no weapons were used, according to the AP report.

Habib Soluk, the Turkish Transport Ministry undersecretary, told NTV that the man rose from his seat, shouted that there was bomb on board and tried to enter the locked cockpit.

"The man was made to believe the plane was heading to Sochi," Soluk said. "We are hoping that the passengers are evacuated without even a nose-bleed."

The Winter Olympic Games began Thursday in Sochi. The incident occurred as the opening ceremonies were taking place.

Attempted hijacker wanted flight to go to sochi, crew turned off inflight monitors, flew to istanbul. Turkish official

Turkish official said all passengers off plane. Airport up and running. Passengers still being questioned. Suspect in custody. No bomb.

BuzzFeed has not received comment from the Turkish Foreign Ministry or Pegasus Airlines.

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