Twenty-four crew members and passengers were injured in the incident, which caused direct economic losses of 28.58 million yuan (4.58 million U.S. dollars), said the statement.

The court found that the group had been influenced by religious extremists and terrorists from October 2011 to February 2012, and made preparations for their hijacking from mid-May to June this year.

The group investigated airport security conditions and the lay-out of the aircraft cabin several times before they conducted the hijacking, and they prepared the tools, including the explosives, metal crutches and lighters, in advance.

The group recruited Mametali Yvsup to participate in the hijacking, and they decided to blow up the aircraft and die along with all the other passengers onboard.

During the court trial, to protect their legal rights, the defendants were allowed to use their native language and were represented by lawyers. Their relatives and members of the public were also present.