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Pilots stabbed in attack on New Zealand plane


    WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A woman passenger on a New Zealand commuter plane stabbed both pilots and threatened to blow up the 19-seat aircraft, police said on Friday. The attack on the pilots, who were not seriously hurt, happened about 20 minutes into the flight between the South Island centres of Blenheim and Christchurch, police said.

    The plane landed at Christchurch, where police with dogsboarded it and arrested a 33-year-old woman, who is originallyfrom Somalia.

    The woman was in police custody in Christchurch but themotive for the attack was still unclear, Canterbury DistrictCommander Superintendent Dave Cliff told Reuters.

    "Once the full statements are taken from the pilots and thewitnesses we'll be able to get a full picture of what happened,but at the moment we're going through the process," Cliff said.

    The plane was left on the runway while a bomb squad wascalled in, but no bomb was found on board, Cliff said.

    The two pilots were taken to Christchurch hospital buttheir wounds were not life-threatening. One passenger and thewoman were treated for minor cuts.

    The flight took off from Blenheim at 7:20 a.m. (6:20 p.m.British time) and the pilots sent a distress call at 7:40 a.m.The plane landed at Christchurch 26 minutes after the distresscall was made.

    Christchurch Airport was closed to all flights for aboutthree hours after the incident.

    The 19-seater Jetstream planes are used on short-haulregional flights by national carrier Air New Zealand and haveonly curtains separating the cockpit from the passenger area.

    (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate; Editing by Alex Richardson)