A Somali immigrant who allegedly stabbed both pilots on a small commercial plane in a hijack attempt was ordered held in custody for psychiatric assessment when she appeared in court Saturday.
Asha Ali Abdille, 33, was represented by a court-appointed lawyer in the Christchurch District Court and entered no plea to several charges, including hijacking and the wounding of two pilots and a passenger on the flight Friday.

She faces life in prison if convicted.
Police on Friday told media Abdille became agitated 10 minutes into the flight from her regional home town of Blenheim to Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island. She entered the cockpit of the twin-propeller Jetstream and attacked the pilots with a knife while attempting to tamper with the controls, police alleged. Abdille falsely claimed two bombs were aboard the plane, police said, and demanded to be flown to Australia, well beyond the range of the aircraft. The crew and passengers overpowered and held her until the plane made a safe landing at Christchurch airport.  One pilot was in stable condition in Christchurch Hospital on Saturday after surgery on an injured hand. The other pilot and a female passenger suffered minor injuries.