News

Suspected hijacker shot by special forces in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi special forces reportedly shot dead a passenger suspected of attempting to hijack a flight from Bangladesh to Dubai.

The suspect, who claimed he had a pistol, was killed when security forces stormed the aircraft after it made an emergency landing in Chittagong.

The Boeing 737 was immediately cordoned off when it landed at the Shah Amanat International airport in Chittagong as officers attempted to talk to the suspect.

Army officials said the man, believed to be aged 25, was initially wounded when shots were fired on Sunday but died shortly afterwards, according to AFP news agency reports.

All 148 passengers and crew on board the Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft disembarked safely.

Operations at the city’s airport were disrupted for more than two hours yesterday.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said last night that the airport had re-opened following an earlier security incident but some travel disruption was still possible.

It is not known why the suspect may have attempted to hijack the flight.

The aircraft was originally scheduled to arrive in Dubai on Sunday evening after departing from Dhaka.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.