European Union leaders are considering a joint response to Belarus’ diversion of a Ryanair plane travelling between EU member nations in order to arrest a prominent opposition journalist.
Roman Protasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that played a key role in helping organise protests against Belarus’ authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko, was on board the Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania when it was diverted to the Belarusian capital, Minsk, while flying over that country.
Belarusian flight controllers had warned the plane crew of an alleged bomb threat and ordered it to land in Minsk, and a Belarusian fighter jet was scrambled to escort the Ryanair airliner.
West threatens reprisals after Belarus diverts plane over bomb scare, detains dissident figure Monday, 24 May 2021 8:05 AM
[ Last Update: Monday, 24 May 2021 10:09 AM ] File photo of Belarusian opposition activist Roman Protasevich (Photo by Reuters)
Belarusian authorities have diverted a Lithuania-bound passenger flight over the country s airspace following a reported bomb threat and then detained a dissident figure on board the plane, drawing fierce rebukes from US and European officials.
The Ireland-based Ryanair plane flying from the Greek capital of Athens to Vilnius – carrying more than 120 passengers, including Belarusian opposition activist and blogger Roman Protasevich who is wanted in Belarus for suspected “terrorist activities” – was ordered to make an emergency landing in Minsk on Sunday following the bomb threat that later proved to be a hoax.
Washington DC [US], May 24 (ANI): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said that Washington is calling for a full probe into the Ryanair flight emergency landing in Minsk and is working closely with the European Union (EU) on unraveling the incident.
Belarus opposition figure detained when Ryanair flight diverted
By Liudas Dapkus article
A photo taken on May 23, 2021 shows a Boeing 737-8AS Ryanair passenger plane (flight FR4978, SP-RSM) from Athens, Greece, that was intercepted and diverted to Minsk on the same day by Belarus authorities, landing at Vilnius International Airport, its
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VILNIUS, Lithuania - A prominent opponent of Belarus authoritarian president was arrested Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition and Western officials denounced as a hijacking operation by the government.
Raman Pratasevich, who faces charges that could bring 15 years in prison, was aboard the Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius when it changed course to head for Minsk.
European Union leaders are considering a joint response to Belarus’ diversion of a Ryanair plane travelling between EU member nations in order to arrest a prominent opposition journalist.
Roman Protasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that played a key role in helping organise protests against Belarus’ authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko, was on board the Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania when it was diverted to the Belarusian capital, Minsk, while flying over that country.
Belarusian flight controllers had warned the plane crew of an alleged bomb threat and ordered it to land in Minsk, and a Belarusian fighter jet was scrambled to escort the Ryanair airliner.