Zimbabwe national in court over plane hijacking

June 26, 2006 SABC

A Zimbabwean national is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate's Court this morning in connection with an attempted hijacking of an SAA flight last weekend. Tinashe Rioga (21) allegedly tried to force his way into the cockpit of the aircraft on a flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg.

He is alleged to have threatened a flight attendant with a hypodermic needle, but was tackled by three passengers who cuffed him to a seat. Rioga, a UCT student, apparently wanted to divert the plane to Maputo in Mozambique.

Rioga faces charges over attempting to seize an aircraft during flight and assault. Cape Town International Airport says it does not foresee any dramatic changes in security arrangements to prevent a repetition of the attempted hijacking.