Ryanair Flight 4978

Coordinates: 53°52′57″N 28°01′57″E / 53.88250°N 28.03250°E / 53.88250; 28.03250
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Ryanair Flight 4978
SP-RSM, the aircraft involved in the incident, photographed in 2019
Incident
Date23 May 2021 (2021-05-23)
SummaryFlight diverted after alleged security alert
SiteMinsk International Airport
53°52′57″N 28°01′57″E / 53.88250°N 28.03250°E / 53.88250; 28.03250
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 737-8AS
OperatorBuzz (for Ryanair)
IATA flight No.FR4978
ICAO flight No.RYR1TZ
Call signRYANAIR 1 TANGO ZULU
RegistrationSP-RSM
Flight originAthens International Airport
DestinationVilnius Airport
Passengers171
Missing6
Survivors165

Ryanair Flight 4978 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Athens International Airport, Greece, to Vilnius Airport, Lithuania. On 23 May 2021, explosives were falsely reported on board the aircraft as it neared Lithuanian airspace. The aircraft was intercepted by a Belarusian fighter jet and diverted to Minsk National Airport,[1] on the orders of Belarusian dictator and former president Alexander Lukashenko. Once the aircraft was on the ground, opposition activist Raman Pratasevich was arrested.

Flight

On 23 May 2021, Ryanair Flight 4978 (Athens-Vilnius) was diverted to Minsk National Airport after a false bomb threat.[2] The flight was carrying 171 passengers.[3][4] In Minsk, a Belarusian opposition activist Raman Pratasevich who is accused of several crimes by the Belarusian government was removed from the plane and arrested.[2][5] Despite the fact that the plane was closer to Vilnius, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, according to his press service, personally ordered the flight to be redirected to Minsk and sent Belarusian Air Force MiG-29 fighter aircraft to escort it.[2][6][7] Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for an investigation of the incident by the ICAO.[8]

Pratasevich was placed in a list of "individuals involved in terrorist activity" the previous year for his role in anti-government protests. Tsikhanouskaya stated that Pratasevich "faces the death penalty" in Belarus.[9]

Belarusian government news agency BelTA claimed that the pilots asked to land in Minsk,[10][11] but according to Ryanair representative cited by Novaya Gazeta, it was Belarusian air traffic control who informed the plane crew about the threat and told them to change course to Minsk.[12] The Belarusian plane spotting community posted a video claiming to depict the MiG-29 (armed with air-to-air missiles) that intercepted the plane.[13]

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800, registration SP-RSM.[4]

Reactions

International

ICAO voiced its deep concern over "the apparent forced landing" of the flight.[14] An ICAO tweet claimed that the forced landing could be in breach of the Chicago Convention.[15]

Reporters Without Borders called for international sanctions for the "state treachery".[16]

European Union

EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell stated that "[all] passengers must be able to continue their travel immediately".[17]

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen described the incident as "utterly unacceptable", stating that "any violation of international air transport rules must bear consequences."[4]

President of the EU Council Charles Michel expressed his concern and called for the release of all the passengers.[18]

National

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda accused Belarusian authorities of carrying out an "abhorrent action".[19] He also said: "I call on NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime. The international community must take immediate steps that this does not repeat".[20]

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs described the incident as "contrary to international law" and said that the reaction should be "strong and effective".[19]

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the incident "an unprecedented act of state terrorism that cannot go unpunished".[19]

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès labeled the landing "unacceptable" and expressed concern.[21]

German Secretary of State Miguel Berger demanded "an immediate explanation" by Belarusian authorities.[22]

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called the landing an "outlandish action" and mentioned "serious implications".[23]

Aviation and international lawyers

Ukrainian aviation lawyer Andriy Guk suggested that the interception by the military aircraft and redirection of plane to more distant airport could have jeopardized the safety of crew and passengers. He also noted that Appendix 2 of Chicago Convention considers interception of civil planes by military aircrafts as the very last resort, but the Belarusian military jet took off immediately.[24]

Associate professor of Russian Higher School of Economics Dr. Gleb Bogush assumed that the staging (dramatizing) of a bomb threat and the interception of the plane by the Belarusian authorities could have jeopardized the crew and passengers and that both Chicago Convention and 1971 Montreal Convention should be used to give the legal assessment of this case. He also called the situation "a very dangerous precedent".[25]

References

  1. ^ Tim Lister; Olga Pavlova. "Belarus activist arrested after fighter jet intercepts his Ryanair flight". CNN.
  2. ^ a b c "Belarus opposition says government forced Ryanair plane to land to arrest journalist". Deutsche Welle. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Be opozicionieriaus ir jo draugės į Lietuvą negrįžo ir dar keturi lėktuvo keleiviai: kas jie – kol kas mįslė" [Without the oppositionist and his female friend, 4 more passengers haven't returned to Lithuania: It's still unclear, who they were.] (in Lithuanian). DELFI. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Kaminski-Morrow, David. "Political leaders outraged as Belarus 'forces' Ryanair 737 diversion to Minsk". Flight Global. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ^ "У аэрапорце Мінска, рэзка змяніўшы курс, прызямліўся самалёт Афіны—Вільня — на борце быў Раман Пратасевіч" [Athens-Vilnius plane landed at Minsk airport, abruptly changing course, Raman Protasevich on board] (in Belarusian). nn.by. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  6. ^ "На борту самолета, экстренно посаженного в Минске, был Роман Протасевич" [Roman Protasevich was on board the plane urgently landed in Minsk] (in Belarusian). People Onliner. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  7. ^ "У аэрапорце "Мінск" затрыманы блогера Раман Пратасевіч" [Blogger Raman Protasevich detained at Minsk airport] (in Belarusian). Spring 96. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Belarusian Journalist Arrested After His Flight Diverted To Minsk After False Bomb Threat". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Belarus diverts plane to arrest journalist, says opposition". Deutsche Welle. 23 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Команду принять в Минске "заминированный" самолет Ryanair дал лично Лукашенко" [Lukashenka personally gave the command to receive the "mined" Ryanair plane in Minsk] (in Belarusian). BelTA. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Основатель Nexta Протасевич задержан в аэропорту Минска" [Nexta founder Protasevich detained at Minsk airport] (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Ryanair: об угрозе в самолете с экс-главредом NEXTA на борту сообщили диспетчеры из Беларуси" [Ryanair: dispatchers from Belarus reported about the threat in the plane with the ex-chief editor of NEXTA on board] (in Russian). Novaya Gazeta. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Бывшего главреда телеграм-канала Nexta Романа Протасевича задержали в Минске, посадив самолет. Что об этом известно" [Former editor-in-chief of the Nexta telegram channel Roman Protasevich was detained in Minsk after landing a plane. What is known about it] (in Belarusian). Current Time. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  14. ^ ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. We look forward to more information being officially confirmed by the countries and operators concerned.
  15. ^ ICAO [@icao] (May 23, 2021). "ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. We look forward to more information being officially confirmed by the countries and operators concerned" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Этот случай может показаться невероятным, но на самом деле он чрезвычайно серьезен. Угон самолета для ареста журналиста – это государственное вероломство в высшей степени. Мы ожидаем, что международное сообщество введет санкции, соизмеримые с этим вероломством.
  17. ^ [https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1396487887173079040 We hold the government of Belarus responsable for the security of all passengers and the aircraft. ALL passengers must be able to continue their travel immediately. (2/2)]
  18. ^ Very concerned regarding reports of a forced landing of #Ryanair flight in Minsk. We call on Belarus authorities to immediately release the flight and all its passengers. An #ICAO investigation of the incident will be essential.
  19. ^ a b c "Belarus 'diverts Ryanair flight to arrest journalist', says opposition". BBC News. 23 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Belarus forces Ryanair plane bound for Vilnius to land, infuriating Lithuania". Reuters. 23 May 2021.
  21. ^ The announcement of the forced landing of a Ryanair plane in #Minsk and the arrest of Mr Protassevich require immediate clarification. Simply unacceptable. We are following this very closely. Also concerned about the situation of other passengers. #Belarus
  22. ^ We need an immediate explanation by the Government of #Belarus on the diversion of a Ryan Air flight within the EU to Minsk and the alleged detention of a journalist.
  23. ^ The UK is alarmed by reports of the arrest of @nexta_tv journalist Roman Protasevich & circumstances that led to his flight being forced to land in Minsk. We are coordinating with our allies. This outlandish action by Lukashenko will have serious implications
  24. ^ "Самолет Ryanair над Беларусью развернули — его сопроводил в Минск истребитель" [Ryanair plane was deployed over Belarus - it was escorted to Minsk by a fighter] (in Russian). Avianews. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  25. ^ "В Белоруссии задержан экс-главред Nexta. Самолет, в котором он летел, совершил экстренную посадку в Минске" [Former Nexta editor-in-chief detained in Belarus. The plane in which he was flying made an emergency landing in Minsk] (in Russian). BFM. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
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