Man got off ‘hijacked’ Ryanair flight in Minsk because it was closer to his destination anyway
The Greek national was heading to the Belarusian capital to visit his wife when the plane was forced to land
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Your support makes all the difference.A Greek passenger from a “hijacked” Ryanair passenger jet that was forced to land in Minsk asked to disembark in the Belarusian capital as it was closer to his intended destination.
The man was one of three people who did not complete the flight’s destination to Vilnius after the plane was forced to stop because traffic control claimed there was a bomb threat.
The Greek national told BLR TV, the state broadcaster, that he was heading to see his wife in Minsk. When the jet was grounded, he asked to stay, reported the New York Times.
The other two passengers who stayed in Minsk were reportedly both Belarus nationals.
Dissident journalist Roman Protasevich was also removed from the flight and arrested when the plane landed in Minsk, causing international condemnation and claims of a state-sponsored hijack by Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
In a video released by Belarusian authorities on Monday evening, Mr Protasevich appeared to admit he was involved in organising mass protests in Minsk last year - but the supporters and family members have said he appeared to be speaking under duress.
The UK’s prime minister Boris Johnson said the video was “deeply distressing” and called for Mr Protasevich’s release.
The EU and the UK have issued new sanctions against Belarus in light of the arrest, with transport secretary Grant Shapps instructing the Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian air space “to keep passengers safe”.
He also suspended the operating permit for Belavia, the country’s state-owned airline, while EU leaders have called on member states to do similar.
Speaking in the early hours of Tuesday in Brussels, European Council president Charles Michel said the events were “unacceptable, shocking and scandalous”.
“We will not tolerate that they play Russian roulette with the lives of innocent civilians,” he added.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has suggested Russia could have been involved with the operation to divert the plane on Sunday.
He said it was “very difficult to believe” the seizure of Mr Protasevich from the flight could have taken place “without at least the acquiescence of the authorities in Moscow”.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said the incident was a “state-sponsored hijacking” and claimed agents from Russia’s KGB were on board the flight.
“It was clear it appears that the intent of the Russian authorities was to remove a journalist and his travelling companion. We believe there was also some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft as well,” he said.
Additional reporting by agencies
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