ANKARA - One of the two Turks who hijacked a Turkish airliner on Tuesday apologized to the passangers before surrendering to the police, a traveller aboard the plane told Turkish television by cellphone.
"He is now apologizing to everyone and is waving to us," Ergun Ozkoseoglu told the NTV channel as the other passengers breaking into applause was clearly heard on the broadcast.
"There was no panic" throughout the standoff, Ozkoseoglu said. "They did not tell us why they hijacked the plane."
The man spoke to NTV minutes before the hijackers surrendered to the Italian police after it was forced to land at Brindisi airport.
10/03/2006 18:29 GMT