Passenger attacks 2 New Zealand pilots in flight

updated 5:45 p.m. ET Feb. 7, 2008

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A knife-wielding woman stabbed the pilot of a small commuter plane in New Zealand and threatened to blow it up in an apparent hijack attempt Friday, police said.

The Eagle Air Jetstream aircraft, carrying seven passengers from the regional city of Blenheim to Christchurch on South Island, landed safely and a woman was arrested.

One of the aircraft's two pilots suffered minor injures in the incident before the woman was restrained, police spokesman Inspector Kieren Kortegast said.

Emergency vehicles, including one carrying members of the police bomb squad, surrounded the aircraft on the tarmac and the airport was closed to incoming and outgoing flights.

An airport spokesman identified the aircraft as flight NZ2279 from Oamaru to Christchurch, operated by the Air New Zealand affiliate Eagle Air.

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