Chinese hijackers get death, prison

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URUMQI, China, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Three men were sentenced to death and another to life in prison Tuesday after they were found guilty of attempting to hijack a Chinese aircraft.

A court in the Xinjian Uygur Autonomous Region handed down the sentences for four of the six men arrested for the attempted hijacking in June, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.

Passengers and crew aboard Tianjin Airlines Flight GS 7554 stopped the attack, which took place about 10 minutes after the plane departed Hotan Airport for the regional capital of Urumqi, Crienglish.com reported. Two flight police officers, the head flight attendant and seven passengers suffered injuries during a fight with the six hijackers, police said.

China's aviation authorities rewarded those who thwarted the hijacking in July with money, honorary titles and orders of merit.

Information about the other two hijackers was not reported.