An ex-convict's attempted hijack of a Zhejiang Airlines flight to Taiwan on Tuesday sparked a military alert on both sides of the strait, sources said.
A mainland military source said authorities in Guangzhou had declared an emergency alert in eastern Guangdong province at about 6pm when the air force command centre noticed the erratic flight.
Pilots and military aircraft were put on standby, the source said.
'The alert lasted for about 40 minutes and was eased after the plane landed at Xiamen airport in Fujian province.' At the same time, Taiwan's air force alerted the command post at Quemoy, the island's first line of defence against the mainland, about the possibility of a hijack after the civilian aircraft, carrying more than 25 people, was detected taking a detour from its regular route, Taipei's Central News Agency said.
A spokesman with Taipei's Ministry of National Security said a military alert was declared when a potential threat to the safety of Taiwan was perceived.
Taiwan's military maintains a standing alert on inbound aircraft from the mainland.
