Tourists escape Chinese hijack ordeal

A Chinese hijacker was shot dead after taking 10 foreign tourists hostage.

The man boarded their bus saying he had a bomb and was ready to blow up the centre of Xian city – home to the famous Terracotta Army collection.

After tense hours of negotiations the man released the Australian tourists and was then shot dead by a police sniper.

The Australian Embassy in Beijing confirmed that the tourists were freed unharmed.

The official Xinhua News Agency said that a man identified as Xia Tao hijacked the bus.

China is normally a safe destination for tourists, but more problems have arisen recently, especially robberies of foreigners.

“The Australian government is pleased that the hostages are now safe and the embassy in Beijing and Consulate General in Shanghai are providing consular assistance to the Australians affected,” an embassy spokeswoman said.

The freed tourists were headed to Shanghai.

Police in China have resorted to firing their weapons in other hostage situations.

Last June, police in Shanghai shot and killed a man who was holding a young child hostage at a restaurant.

In June 2005, police in Xian shot and killed a hostage-taker.