Word: trebizond
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Authorities in the ancient Black Sea port of Trebizond, Turkey, bustled about excitedly last week as the Soviet Aeroflot AN-24 craft circled for an unscheduled landing. After all, few foreign planes ever land in the small (pop. 66,000) market town. Excitement soon turned to consternation as frantic passengers scrambled out the rear door and two bloodied pilots staggered from the front of the plane. Both had been wounded by gunshots. Inside lay the stewardess, 18-year-old Nadezhda Kulchenko, dead of a bullet wound. That dreaded international malady, skyjacking, had finally spread to Russia...
...Soviets were understandably incensed by Turkey's handling of the case. After releasing the plane, Ankara granted political asylum to the Bransizkases. Moreover, despite attempts of the Trebizond prosecutor to bring the pair to trial on charges of murder, the courts quickly freed them. In an age of rising air piracy, Turkey's astonishing action seemed to sanction a double standard for "good" and "bad" hijackers (TIME, Sept. 28)-though it is difficult to see how the Bransizkases could be accorded much sympathy, whatever their political problems at home. Moscow is not likely to let the Turks forget...