An Air India Express pilot this morning sent a hijack message to officials at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.

According to airport officials, protesting passengers allegedly entered the cockpit of the aircraft after having
waited in the plane for over four hours to go to Kochi.

The pilot then pressed the hijack button.

Following the message, police and other security personnel surrounded the aircraft which was parked at the airport.

The Abu Dhabi-Kochi flight was reportedly diverted to Thiruvananthapuram because of weather problem.

Passengers refused to deboard the aircraft despite repeated requests by the airlines.

Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered a probe into the incident, official sources said in New Delhi.