A team of Russian investigators probing the hijacking Sunday of a Russian plane arrived at a remote Israeli military base where the plane had been diverted, Israeli security services said.
The Russian experts will investigate the 12-hour hijack drama, which ended peacefully after the hijacker surrendered, and will interview the man now in Israeli custody, said a senior security official, who asked to remain anonymous.
Israeli radio said extradition proceedings of the hijacker would begin shortly.
The Vnukovo Airlines Tupolev Tu-154 plane, which was carrying 48 passengers and 10 crew, was expected to head back to Russia soon after refueling, the official added.
The aircraft was seized overnight on a scheduled flight to Moscow from the Russian autonomous republic of Dagestan, which borders the war-torn north Caucasus republic of Chechnya.
The three-jet airliner landed at the Uvda air base in Israel's southern Negev desert near the Red Sea resort of Eilat after refuelling in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.
The hijacker, described as "mentally unstable," is suspected to be a religious extremist from Dagestan, news agencies in Moscow reported -- UVDA, Israel (AFP)
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