‘Aviation Piracy’

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Roman Protasevich was detained in the Belarusian capital yesterday after Ryanair flight FR4978 was diverted to Minsk shortly before it was due to leave Belarusian airspace

Last night/this morning.

Roman Protasevich was a co-founder of the Nexta TV channel which was declared extremist by Belarus authorities last year after helping to organise mass demonstrations against President Alexander Lukashenko,.

He subsequently fled to Poland and currently faces charges which could carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

Minsk’s airport had released a statement saying the aircraft had to make an emergency landing there at 12.15pm GMT following a bomb scare.

the government’s press service said on its own Telegram channel that the president had given the order to divert the flight and had ordered a Mig-29 fighter jet to accompany the plane.

Meanwhile…

This morning.

Forced Ryanair landing state-sponsored ‘aviation piracy’ – Coveney (RTE)

Getty/AP

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28 thoughts on “‘Aviation Piracy’”

    1. Bitnboxy

      Yes, there was not much Ryanair could have done when faced with the actions of a cornered tin-pot dictator and a warplane. Still, that tin-pot Belarussian dictator would not have done this without the approval of a much more nefarious thug, namely Putin. Such a shame the plane was so near Lithuanian airspace.

      Still, that poor guy. If sanctions on Belarus (and Russia) don’t come quick and fast then this will simply happen again.

    1. Bitnboxy

      and Russia. You think that Belarussian goon-for-life acted alone without getting sign-off from Putin?

  3. Anton Chigurh

    Captain was coerced into landing there; ICAO interception procedures are incorporated into airline operations manuals, once a Mig comes up & rocks wings ahead of you, you’d best comply…

  4. Lilly

    What if Ryanair had refused to land, would they have been shot down and later recorded as ‘bomb on board’? Chilling.

    1. Johnny

      Even more ‘chilling’ is Vilnius, the plane’s destination, was much closer than Minsk when the jetliner turned around, flight-tracking data shows.

      1. Rob_G

        I’m not sure what relevance that has – if some fighter aircraft tell you to turn around and go back to Minsk, you turn around and go back to Minsk.

  5. goldenbrown

    again with the soft dithery language

    the plane was HIJACKED

    I just hope it’s quick for that lad and he’s not chopped up into small pieces like Khashoggi

    1. Considine

      Such virtue signalling.

      Meanwhile in Ireland we jail grandmothers for exercising their God-given right to breathe, lock down the whole nation because of an imaginary pandemic and baton charge peaceful protesters off the street.

      1. Walter Ego

        Hey Considine, keep drinking your Kool- Aid.
        Lay down there on the nice Flat Earth and drift off into conspiracy land.

      2. Bitnboxy

        @Considine Ha! The husband of that grandmother expressed concern for her own well-being so as is ever the case with you lot trying to hijack an obviously troubled person for your cause (I note Gemma is travelling to Cork to “do her bit” for this woman), there is a lot more to this story than you care to believe.

        Go on, try an anti-government protest in Belarus, and tell me how you get on.

        Sheesh!

        1. Considine

          “try an anti-government protest in Belarus, and tell me how you get on.”

          No need to go to Belarus to get attacked by the state security forces for exercising your right to an opinion. It’s happening right here, right now.

          In many ways it’s worse here: At least Belarus shows the pandemic farce for what it is by refusing the lockdown.

          4. Tinytim

            Even if you have a point, it’s off topic for this article. I suggest keeping it relevant. Thank you.

          5. Bitnboxy

            @Janet. Sure, Jan is a Brady Bunch meme indicating “Whatever you say mate etc.” Not you- lol.

  6. f_lawless

    Sadly a similar precedent was already set a few years back despite Michael Martin describing yesterday’s events as “unprecedented actions”. From what I can gather, not a word of condemnation from Coveney at the time either.

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/04/forcing-down-morales-plane-air-piracy

    “The forcing down of Bolivian President Evo Morales’s plane – denied airspace by France, Spain and Portugal, followed by his 14-hour confinement while Austrian officials demanded to “inspect” his aircraft for the ‘fugitive’ Edward Snowden – was an act of air piracy and state terrorism. It was a metaphor for the gangsterism that now rules the world and the cowardice and hypocrisy of bystanders who dare not speak its name.

    ..Imagine the aircraft of the president of France being forced down in Latin America on ‘suspicion’ that it was carrying a political refugee to safety – and not just any refugee but someone who has provided the people of the world with proof of criminal activity on an epic scale. Imagine the response from Paris, let alone the “international community”, as the governments of the west call themselves”

    1. JEH

      Thanks for this! I didn’t know it ever happened and you’re right, i haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere alongside the reporting of yesterday’s event.

      Genuinely insightful.

  7. Cian

    #Pratasevich said to a flight attendant: “Don’t do this. They will kill me. I am a refugee.” The flight attendant replied: “We must, we have no choice. It’s in Ryanair legal agreements.”

    Ryanair flight attendants are the best. Not only do they look glam while they help pack the overhead lockers they are also legal experts!!

  8. John F

    In fairness, what other choice did the Ryanair pilot have other than to comply? If a mig appears beside you and starts tipping its wings to show missiles any one would follow their instructions.
    I don’t know enough about the political situation to comment on it. And to be honest I don’t really care enough to find out. But the borderline hijacking of the plane mid flight is worrying.
    I will say this though. If leaders and their electorates cared nearly as much about dealing with their domestic issues instead of political pointscoring ,the world would be a much better place.

      1. Rob_G

        Jesus wept… If you are flying over another country’s airspace and you don’t comply, they can shoot you down.

  9. Gabby

    Ireland as a Security Council member must demand that at least Belarus gets a sharp rap on the knuckles.

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