Hijacker sends Sudan jet to Chad (UPDATED)

BBC

A Sudanese passenger plane has been hijacked and diverted to the capital of neighbouring Chad, reports say.
Officials said the Boeing 737 was hijacked in Khartoum and expected to land in N'Djamena.

An official for the Air West airline told the Reuters news agency that the flight had 103 people on board.

He said a lone gunman had seized control of the plane at about 0900 (0600 GMT). There was no indication of any other demands, or of any motive.


**UPDATE***

Chad arrests Sudan plane hijacker

A lone gunman has been arrested after hijacking a Sudanese passenger jet and diverting it to N'Djamena, the capital of neighbouring Chad.
The Air West Boeing 737 was flying 103 people from Sudan's capital, Khartoum, to El Fasher in the Darfur region.

The hijacker was carrying a machine gun, and a Chadian government minister said he was seeking asylum in the UK.

Sudan accuses Chad of backing rebel forces in the Darfur region, while Chad says Sudan aids Chadian rebel groups.

Relations between the two counties have been poor for some time, and diplomatic relations were temporarily halted in 2006.

Chad's infrastructure minister said the hijacker wanted political asylum in the UK to escape persecution in Sudan.