News In Brief

Hijackers seize French jet in attempt to get to Iran

Hijackers demanding to go to Iran commandeered an Air France jetliner with 64 people aboard Tuesday and forced it to land in Geneva, Swiss airline officials said. Ninety minutes later, the plane took off for Beirut. Beirut airport authorities quickly declared they were closing the facility to block any attempt at a landing.

On Sunday, a Venezuelan Aeropostal DC-9 was hijacked on a flight from Caracas to the Caribbean island of Curacao. Security officers stormed the hijacked jetliner in Curacao early Tuesday, killing the two hijackers and rescuing the other 79 people aboard.