ROME - The hijackers of a Turkish airliner forced to land in southeastern Italy on Tuesday were "not aggressive" and seemed "willing" to release more than 100 passengers, the deputy director of Italian civil aviation told Italian news channel Sky TV 24.
"They are not aggressive and are willing to free the passengers," said Salvatore Sciacchitano, who added that the two hijackers were unarmed.
Civil authorities in Brindisi where the plane landed said the hijackers would release the passengers if they were allowed to transmit a message to Pope Benedict XVI.
10/03/2006 16:44 GMT