CHRISTCHURCH (New Zealand), Feb 8 A 33-year-old woman on Friday was charged with hijacking in New Zealand after she stabbed the pilots of a small commuter plane and allegedly asked to be flown to Australia, police said.

The woman, originally from Somalia, was to appear in court on Saturday to face charges of hijacking and wounding with intent. Hijacking carries a maximum sentence in New Zealand of life imprisonment.

The mid-air drama, which prompted pilots to send a mayday call, unfolded aboard a 19-seat Jetstream J32 operated by Air National for Air New Zealand, which was travelling from the provincial town of Blenheim to Christchurch.

The woman, a Blenheim resident whose name was not released, attacked the pilots and claimed there were bombs aboard the aircraft, police said.

The wounded pilots managed to force the woman out of the cockpit and she was taken into police custody when the plane landed in Christchurch at about 800 am on Thursday.—AFP