Rostov Aviation Enterprises Flight D9-156 was hijacked on October 25, 1994, while en route from Ashgabad, Turkmenistan, to Rostov, Russia, via Makhachkala, Russia. The hijacker claimed to have an explosive device. The pilot reported the incident shortly after the Yakovlev 40 aircraft left Makhachkala following a scheduled intermediate stop. The plane returned to Makhachkala. The hijacker refused to negotiate directly with authorities but used crew members as intermediaries. He demanded USD 2 million and transport to Iran. The hijacked aircraft landed at approximately 22:30. Some passengers were released shortly thereafter; however, additional hostages were not freed until approximately 14:00, October 26. By 18:00 all passengers had been released, and only the hijacker and two or three crew members remained on board. Part of the ransom -USD 800,000- was paid in order to secure the release of these hostages. Shortly after midnight on October 27, they, too, were released. Near dawn, as security forces prepared to storm the aircraft, the hijacker detonated a home-made explosive device and killed himself. Although the plane was damaged, there were no other casualties or injuries. Passengers on the plane reported that the hijacker had a knife, a hand grenade with an exposed fuse, and a home-made explosive device.