Bus hijacked in Russia

A bus carrying 40 people has been seized by at least one gunman in southern Russia. It was heading to a popular resort town in the Caucasus Mountains.

Viktor Beltsov, a Government spokesman, said one of the two drivers on the bus had been injured and thrown out of the vehicle.

The hijackers were demanding to be allowed to travel unhindered to the airport in the city of Mineralnye Vody, Mr Beltsov said.

He said it was not yet clear how many people had seized the bus.

The bus was on its way from Nevinnomyssk to Stavropol when it was seized.

Police and special services have sealed off the airport at Mineralnye Vody, where similar incidents have occurred repeatedly in recent years.

The city is not far from the separatist region of Chechnya. In March 21 people were killed in a bomb blast at the market in the city.