GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: A Saudi Arabian passenger jet has been hijacked. A hijacker, reportedly armed with explosives, took control of the Boeing 777 while it was over Egypt. The plane took off from Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, today en route to London. Cairo air-traffic controllers said there are 198 passengers and nine crew members aboard. Officials is Riad said the hijacker threatened to blow up the plane unless it was flown to Iraq. Joining us by phone from Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, is journalist Khalid Al-Maeena, editor in chief of "The Arab News." What can you tell us about the hijacking from there? KHALID Al-</s>MAEENA, JOURNALIST: Well, the reports are very sketchy. What we gathered from our people is that it was a regular flight, 115 from Jiddah to London with regular passengers on. And if hijacked over Cairo, it would have had one hour and a half of flying time. Right now, as I said, nothing is known, but Caldea is going to issue a statement, maybe in the next half an hour or hour, so we'll be able to get more information on that.</s>RANDALL: And can you tell us how long that flight was in the air before it was seized?</s>AL-MAEENA: Well, I mean, if it was hijacked over Cairo, presumably, it would have been an hour and 15 minutes, if it was hijacked over Egyptian airspace. But as I said, right now there are hardly any reports apart from what you said about the number of passengers and the nine crew members. But, with an initial report being issued later on in the next 45 minutes, I guess we'll have some more insight into latest of what's happening.</s>RANDALL: Mr. Al-Maeena, thanks very much.
Flight From Saudi Arabia to London Hijacked