Engineer allowed on hijacked plane to repair engine problem

December 28, 1999
Web posted at: 10:06 p.m. HKT (1406 GMT)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CNN) -- An Indian engineer was allowed aboard a hijacked Indian Airlines jet Tuesday in Afghanistan to fix problems with the aircraft.

As a guarantee, a hijacker came off the plane and was placed in a car while the engineer was aboard the airplane. The hijacker was described as about 2 meters (6 feet) tall, wearing a black mask, red shirt and checkered trousers.

The engineer was apparently able to fix the problem with the plane because the engines soon started again after being turned off for a time. The mechanical problem had apparently affected the ability to regulate the temperature in the airplane.

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The Afghan foreign minister said negotiations to free the people left aboard were continuing. About 160 passengers and crew members remain on the plane.

Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said the hijackers -- described by India as Muslim radicals -- had been asked to free the women and children aboard the hijacked Airbus A300 but had refused.

The hijackers on Monday demanded the release of a Pakistani Islamic cleric, Maulana Masood Azhar, as well as a number of fighters who have been seeking independence for Kashmir from India. They have threatened to kill their hostages if their demands are not met.

The Indian government said Monday there were six hijackers aboard the plane. They said four were Pakistanis, one Nepalese, and one was from Afghanistan.

The Indian negotiators arrived in Kandahar on Monday afternoon to begin talks with the hijackers.

The Indian Airlines jet was hijacked Friday on a flight from Katmandu, Nepal, to New Delhi, India.

The hijackers are said to be heavily armed. It was not clear how they were able to board the plane with rifles and grenades.

They have killed at least one passenger and have freed 27 others.

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