Sochi hijack attempt over Ukrainian prisoners

By Suzan Fraser

Published February 8, 2014 1:13pm ET

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Sochi hijack attempt over Ukrainian prisoners — Passengers of private Turkish company Pegasus leave the plane at the Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Feb. 7, 2014. An official says authorities have subdued a man who attempted to hijack a Turkish plane to Sochi, Russia, and that the other passengers have been evacuated. Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the Istanbul governor, says on Twitter that "the operation has ended." In another tweet Friday, he said all passengers were evacuated "without any problems."(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) | Emrah Gurel

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Ukrainian man who allegedly tried to hijack a Turkey-bound commercial flight and divert it to Sochi on the day of the Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony wanted to press for the release of anti-government protesters in his country, authorities said Saturday.

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