Turkish commandos free hostages, nab skyjackers

Turkish commandos stormed a hijacked airliner, freeing more than 100 hostages. The commandos, who burned through the rear door of the plane with blowtorches, captured at least four Turkish Muslim hijackers who had posed as Iranians. The hijackers had demanded to be flown to Iran, but when the pilot said Iranian airspace was closed and he did not have enough fuel to reach Tehran , the plane landed at Diyarbakir. The gunmen freed 53 passengers, and demanded to be flown in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. After refusing to provide fuel, Turkey military leader, Gen. Kenan Evren, sent in the commandos.