MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. A passenger plane bound from Surgut to Moscow (flight SU1515) made an emergency landing in Khanty-Mansyisk after a hijacking attempt. The hijacker is still aboard the plane, a spokesman for Russia’s National Anti-terrorist Committee (NAC) told TASS on Tuesday.

A source in the local law enforcement agencies told TASS that according to preliminary information the perpetrator was intoxicated during the incident. No one was hurt.

An Aeroflot Boeing 737-8LJ took off from Surgut for Moscow at 12:55 Moscow time. Fifteen minutes after takeoff, it changed its course. According to the NAC spokesman, it was done at the demand of one of the passengers. The pilot decided to land in Khanty-Mansyisk, where it arrived at 14:18 Moscow time.

Meanwhile, NAC Spokesman Andrei Przhezdomsky told the Rossiya-24 television channel that the plane’s pilot made the sole, correct decision to land in Khanty-Mansysik after a passenger demanded he change the plane’s course.

"According to reports, a plane flying from Surgut to Moscow changed its course at the demand of one of its passengers. The pilot made the only right decision to land at the nearest airport, in Khanty-Mansyisk. The man who hijacked the plane is still inside. We hope no effort will be spared to prevent any negative outcome," he said.