"Nobody Lost A Parent. Nobody Lost A Child"

Following an unsuccessful attempted hijacking this weekend, South African Airways CEO Khaya Ngqula went on the offensive Monday, saying the attempt shows his airline's emergency policies and procedures are up to the task of thwarting such attempts.

"All the rules were adhered to. Everybody was safe. Everybody reached their destination. Nobody lost a parent. Nobody lost a child," said Ngqula to South Africa's Cape Argus news service.

Ngqula also thanked the passengers aboard Flight 322 for remaining calm during the incident, in which Tinashe Rioga, a 21-year-old Zimbabwean national, tried to commandeer the plane with a hypodermic needle.

He also responded to complaints by some passengers who were unhappy with their treatment during the incident. "From the moment an aircraft is hijacked, it is a military zone," Ngqula said. "The security forces take charge."

The hijacking attempt took place as the airliner headed to Johannesburg from Cape Town. Pilots monitored the situation in the cabin on closed-circuit TVs, Ngqula said, and turned back to Cape Town.

Rioga was subdued by an off-duty pilot, SAA captain Neil Hodgkins, and two other men.

FMI: www.flysaa.com