A court in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on December 11 sentenced three men to death and another man to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of attempting to hijack an aircraft in June.

Musa Yvsup and Arxidikali Yimin, the leaders of the group who plotted the hijacking, and Eyumer Yimin, a major participant in the planning, were sentenced to death.

Alem Musa, who played a minor role in the plane hijacking and willingly pleaded guilty after arrest, received a life sentence.

On June 29, six people attempted to hijack Tianjin Airlines' flight GS7554 after it took off from Hotan Airport. The hijackers used modified metal crutches to disguise the explosives.

They were stopped by crew members and passengers while trying to detonate the devices. Two other hijackers, Ababaykeri Ybelayim and Mametali Yvsup, were injured in the ensuing fight and later died despite medical treatment.