Sanaa - Passengers of a Yemeni hijacked plane won their freedom yesterday thanks to the quick thinking of their pilot who realised their abductor had little command of English.
The man, claiming to be a supporter of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, was also unaware that the Yemen Airways flight that he commandeered was carrying the US ambassador to Sanaa, Ms Barbara Bodine, and four of her aides.
Pilot Amer Anis began giving the co-pilot and flight engineer instructions in English on looking after the passengers when he realised the hijacker, who was in the cockpit, did not understand what was being said.
Once he realised this, the pilot told his crew in English that as soon as they landed at Djibouti airport they should open the emergency doors and evacuate the 91 passengers.
An airport official said two shots were fired, but all passengers and crew were safe and the hijacker arrested.