2021.05.23.hijack
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2021.05.23.hijack refers to attack of Belarusian terrorists on the Ryanair passenger jet Boeing 737-8AS performing regular flight FR4978 from Athens (Greece) to Vilnius (Lithuania) [4][1].
Overview
The terrorists menaced pilots of Boeing 737-8AS with bomb. It was claimed to be already on board and to explode at the attempt to land at the airport of destination. The terrorists recommended the pilot to land at Minsk.
The pilots did not seem to follow the "recommendation"; then the terrorists sent the military jet fighter Mig-29 to intercept the liner.
The military pilot could have order to shout the liner if any disobedience; so, the civil pilots were forced to land the passenger aircraft at Minsk airport.
Many authors recognize the 2021.05.23.hijack as piracy, milirary attack on civil aircraft, terroristic act, organized by the Belarusian authorities. Belarus is qualified as state terrorist [1][5][6][7].
Timeline
2021.05.23,07:29 AM UTC, take-off at the Athens airport, Grece, heading to the Vilnius airport, Lithuania.
2021.05.23,09:30 AN UTC, enter the airspace of Belarus from side of Ukraine.
Between 09.30 and 09.44, the terrorists alert the pilots that they have loaded into the airplane the bomb, that will be activated, if the airplane lands at the airport of destination. [8]
The pilots express doubts in the statement about bomb.
The terrorists send Mig-29 to intercept the airplane and, perhaps, to shout it, if the pilots disobey the "recommenration" to deviate from their way.
2021.05.23,09:44 AM UTC, in a dozen km from the border between Belarus and Lithuania, interception by the Mig-29, forced to U-turn, back into airspace of Belarus.
2021.05.23,10:21 AM UTC, forced landing at the Minsk Airport, Belarus. [9]
The crew, the passengers and their luggage are captured by the terrorists. The luggage is inspected with pretext of searching for a bomb. The bomb is reported to be "not found". Apparently, the terrorists have stolen, withdrawn and hiden the bomb that was supposed to destroy the aircraft at Vilnius, if the pilots disobey the "recommendation" to land as Mink.
2021.05.23, 18:25 UTC (local time 21:25), the airplane, the crew and some of the passengers are released; the aircraft continues its flight to Vilnius. [1].
Stenogram
The Reuter suggests the digitalization of conversation between the pilot of hijacked airplane and the terrorists [2]:
CONTROLLER INFORMS PILOT OF BOMB, SUGGESTS LANDING IN MINSK
Controller: Minsk
Pilot: Yes, go ahead.
Controller: For your information, we have information from special services that you have bomb on board and it can be activated over Vilnius.
Pilot: Standby.
Pilot: Ok, could you repeat the message?
Controller: I say again, we have information from special services that you have bomb on board. That bomb can be activated over Vilnius.
Pilot: Roger that, standby.
Controller: For security reason we recommend you to land at UMMS. (ICAO code for Minsk airport)
Pilot: Ok...that..it..understood give us alternate please.
Pilot: The bomb....direct message, where did it come from? Where did you have information about it from?
ATC: Standby please.
Pilot: Go ahead.
ATC: Airport security staff informed they received e-mail.
Pilot: Roger, Vilnius airport security staff or from Greece?
ATC: This e-mail was shared to several airports.
Pilot: Roger, standby.
PILOT ASKS FOR FURTHER DETAILS
Pilot: Again, this recommendation to divert to Minsk where did it come from? Where did it come from? Company? Did it come from departure airport authorities or arrival airport authorities?
Controller: This is our recommendations.
Pilot: Can you say again?
Controller: This is our recommendations.
Pilot: (unreadable.)
Pilot: Did you say that your recommendation?
PILOT AGREES TO LAND IN MINSK
Controller: Advise your decision please.
Pilot: I need answer the question: what is the code of the (unreadable) green, yellow or amber, red.
Controller: Standby.
Controller: They say code is red.
Pilot: Roger that, in that case we request holding at present position.
Controller: Roger, hold over your position, maintain FL390 turns at own discretion.
Pilot: Ok holding at our discretion at present position maintaining FL390.
Pilot: We are declaring an emergency MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY RYR 1TZ. Our intentions would be to divert to Minsk airport.
ATC: RYR 1TZ MAYDAY, Roger. Standby for vectors.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Goals of terrorists
The goal of the terrorists could be kidnapping of Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega [10].
Weapon
The terrorists menaced the pilots of FR4978 with bomb (that was supposed to be already on board of the passenger liner) and with military aircraft Mig-29. That fighter intercepted the liner and could shoot it, if the pilots did not obey the commands of the terrorists.
The 2021.05.23.hijack had been performed in the airspace of Belarus, in a ten km from the belarussian border and in a hundred km from the destination.
No private Mig-29 is supposed to operate in the airspace of Belarus.
The 2021.05.23.hijack is suspected to be organixed by the top of the Belarus administration, including Lokazhenko Aleksandr Grigorievich.
The search of the hijacked airplane at Minsk had been performed by agents of Belarus KGB; so, there is no way to reveal, did they indeed load the bomb that had to explode at Vilnius (if the pilots manage to escape from the Mig-29), or the message about bomb on board, since the beginning, was just misinformation from the terrorists.
Organizers
Gulevich Viktor Vladimirovich, chef of the military stab of Belarus [11]
Khrenin Viktor Gennadievich, boss of military (Minister of "defence"), 2020. Snapshot from video [12]
Lukashenko Aleksandr Grigorievich [13][14], Belarusian usurper ("president").
Tetel Ivan Stanislavovich, for y.2021, chef of the Belarus KGB [15]
The terroristic act with use of Belarusian military ultrasonic jet is not possible to organize without involving the usurper and the top officials of this administration.
Two unnamed Belarusian terrorists are pictured when they are kidnapping journalist Roman Protasevich (at center of the last pic) [1]; this kidnapping seems to be the main goal of the 2021.05.23.hijack.
Precedents
The seizing of the passenger airplanes (air piracy) in not new event and has many precedents. Some of them are listed in Wikipedia [16]
Afterwards
The 2021.05.23.hijack does not cause any attack of the Belarusian military airbases (where aircrafts Mif-29 are stored), nor confiscation of properties of Belarusian government or Belarussian officials. The European administration try to stop or, at least, to sow-down the escalation or terrorism of the Belarusian dictatorship with soft sanctions. [17]
Warning
Pubications about 2021.05.23.hijack are collected and analyzed in TORI with scienticic goals.
The fight against usurpation and terrorism is not element of set of these goals.
In particular, the evidences, presented in the cites literature, should not be considered as appeal to the outlaw murdering of Lukashenko and his criminal partners.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57219860 Belarus 'diverts Ryanair flight to arrest journalist', opposition says Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary claims there were KGB security agents on the flight. A Ryanair plane from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus for several hours on Sunday, with activists saying it was done to arrest a dissident journalist on board. European nations reacted with outrage, accusing Belarus of "state terrorism". The ex-editor of the Nexta group, Roman Protasevich, was detained before the plane was allowed to resume its flight. Belarus media said a MiG-29 escorted the jet to Minsk because of a bomb scare but no explosives were found. The plane finally landed in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, its original destination, at 21:25 local time (18:25 GMT), more than seven hours after its scheduled arrival. Arriving passengers said they had been given no information about the reason for the abrupt diversion to Minsk. One said Mr Protasevich looked "super scared. I looked directly to his eyes and it was very sad". Another, Monika Simkiene, told AFP news agency: "He just turned to people and said he was facing the death penalty."
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/they-say-code-is-red-transcript-controller-telling-plane-land-minsk-2021-05-25/ May 26, 202112:33 AM JST Aerospace & Defense 'They say code is red': transcript of controller telling plane to land in Minsk. Gabrielle Tétrault-farber, Andrew Osborn.
- ↑ https://www.airliners.net/photo/Belarus-Air-Force/Mikoyan-Gurevich-MiG-29-9-13/2138951/L
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 (9-13) - Belarus - Air Force (2021)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belarus_Air_Force_Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-29_(9-13)_Pichugin-1.jpg Belarus Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Date 13 September 2011 Source http://www.airliners.net/photo/Belarus---Air/Mikoyan-Gurevich-MiG-29-(9-13)/2138951/L/ Author Dmitriy Pichugin - ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57180275 Passengers on board a Ryanair flight from Athens have described their panic after they changed course on Sunday with no explanation. 2021.05.26. Flight FR4978 was nearing its final destination of Vilnius, Lithuania when it was suddenly forced to divert to Minsk.// The plane was accompanied by a fighter jet that had been scrambled to guide it to the Belarusian capital.// Soon after its arrival, Belarus arrested one of the passengers - a dissident journalist called Roman Protasevich.// Belarus has said the plane was diverted because of a bomb threat onboard. But after a search in Minsk, no explosives were found on the flight. Passengers on board a Ryanair flight from Athens have described their panic after they changed course on Sunday with no explanation.// Flight FR4978 was nearing its final destination of Vilnius, Lithuania when it was suddenly forced to divert to Minsk.// The plane was accompanied by a fighter jet that had been scrambled to guide it to the Belarusian capital.// Soon after its arrival, Belarus arrested one of the passengers - a dissident journalist called Roman Protasevich.// Belarus has said the plane was diverted because of a bomb threat onboard. But after a search in Minsk, no explosives were found on the flight. ..
- ↑ https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1415539/belarus-scrambles-air-force-diverts-vilnius-bound-flight-to-minsk-to-arrest-dissident Belarus scrambles air force, diverts Vilnius-bound flight to Minsk to arrest dissident// updated LRT.lt 2021.05.23 15:59. The Belarusian regime scrambled its air force on Sunday to divert a Vilnius-bound Ryanair flight to Minsk in order to arrest an opposition journalist. // The Ryanair flight from Athens with 171 passengers was to arrive in Vilnius at 13:00 on Sunday, but was forced to turn back before crossing the Lithuanian border and land in the Belarusian capital. Minsk Airport told the Interfax news agency that it had received a report about a bomb onboard.
- ↑ https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1415611/minsk-regime-hijacked-plane-like-somali-pirates-says-belarusian-opposition-in-vilnius Minsk regime hijacked plane like ‘Somali pirates’, says Belarusian opposition in Vilnius. 2021.05.23 18:14. The regime of Alexander Lukashenko behaved like “Somali pirates” when it scrambled a fighter jet and a military helicopter to divert a Ryanair plane to Minsk in order to arrest an opposition journalist, Franak Viachorka, adviser to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Vilnius, told BNS on Sunday. // "They scrambled a MiG-29 military fighter jet. The Belarusian dispatcher instructed the plane to change course and fly to Minsk Airport, purportedly due to a threat of explosives," he said. "They hijacked the plane like Somali pirates.”
- ↑ https://www.politico.eu/article/alexander-lukashenko-terrorist-belarus-ryanair-plane-roman-protasevich/ Joerg Forbrig. Opinion// Alexander Lukashenko, international terrorist// The EU must respond to the forced landing of a Ryanair flight and do more to protect exiled Belarusian democrats. May 24, 2021 12:13 pm. BERLIN — Alexander Lukashenko’s terror operation has gone global.// In a brazen attack on European civilian air traffic and safety, the Belarusian dictator ordered military aircraft to intercept Ryanair flight FR4978 traveling from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania. ..
- ↑ https://samchui.com/2021/05/27/belarus-releases-atc-transcript-of-ryanair-b737-diversion-incident/#.YLHnplCRWL4 Belarus Releases ATC Transcript of Ryanair B737 Diversion Incident// Sam Chui May 27, 2021// On 23rd May a Ryanair Boeing 737 was intercepted by a MiG-29 fighter jet, being diverted to Minsk and an opposition activist has been detained upon arrival.// Flight FR4978 from Athens to Vilnius was “notified by Belarus ATC of a potential threat risk onboard” and changed course to “the nearest airport, Minsk” according to a Ryanair statement. Roman Protasevich, a well-known opposition activist and blogger, was arrested on arrival; allegedly under the instructions of the Belarusian government. Reuters reported that he is on a wanted list in the wake of large demonstrations following last year’s elections.// Following are excerpts from the transcript, which Reuters was unable to verify. The aircraft call sign was RYR 1TZ. Controllers inform pilot of bomb, suggests landing in Minsk Controller: Minsk Pilot: Yes, go ahead. Controller: For your information, we have information from special services that you have bomb on board and it can be activated over Vilnius. Pilot: Standby. Pilot: Ok, could you repeat the message? Controller: I say again, we have information from special services that you have bomb on board. That bomb can be activated over Vilnius. Pilot: Roger that, standby. Controller: For security reason we recommend you to land at UMMS. (ICAO code for Minsk airport) Pilot: Ok...that..it..understood give us alternate please. Pilot: The bomb....direct message, where did it come from? Where did you have information about it from? ATC: Standby please. Pilot: Go ahead. ATC: Airport security staff informed they received e-mail. Pilot: Roger, Vilnius airport security staff or from Greece? ATC: This e-mail was shared to several airports. Pilot: Roger, standby. Pilot asks for further details Pilot: Again, this recommendation to divert to Minsk where did it come from? Where did it come from? Company? Did it come from departure airport authorities or arrival airport authorities? Controller: This is our recommendations. Pilot: Can you say again? Controller: This is our recommendations. Pilot: (unreadable.) Pilot: Did you say that your recommendation? Pilot agrees to land in Minsk Controller: Advise your decision please. Pilot: I need answer the question: what is the code of the (unreadable) green, yellow or amber, red. Controller: Standby. Controller: They say code is red. Pilot: Roger that, in that case we request holding at present position. Controller: Roger, hold over your position, maintain FL390 turns at own discretion. Pilot: Ok holding at our discretion at present position maintaining FL390. Pilot: We are declaring an emergency MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY RYR 1TZ. Our intentions would be to divert to Minsk airport. ATC: RYR 1TZ MAYDAY, Roger. Standby for vectors.
- ↑
https://samchui.com/2021/05/24/ryanair-b737-divert-to-belarus-after-intercepted-by-mig-29-fighter-jet/#.YLHc9lCRWL6
Ryanair B737 Diverts to Belarus After Being Intercepted by MiG-29 Fighter Jet
Ted PertonMay 24, 2021.
A Ryanair Boeing 737 has been intercepted by a MiG-29 fighter jet, being diverted to Minsk and an opposition activist has been detained upon arrival.
Flight FR4978 from Athens to Vilnius was “notified by Belarus ATC of a potential threat risk onboard” and changed course to “the nearest airport, Minsk” according to a Ryanair statement. Roman Protasevich, a well-known opposition activist and blogger, was arrested on arrival; allegedly under the instructions of the Belarusian government. Reuters reported that he is on a wanted list in the wake of large demonstrations following last year’s elections.
The ICAO said that it was concerned about an “apparent forced landing” which may be “in contravention of the Chicago Convention” which defines rules on airspace and aircraft safety.
The EU President, Ursula von der Leyen, said “any violation of international air transport rules must bear consequences” while UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab described the event as “outlandish action”.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/sp-rsm#27cce9a2 AIRCRAFT Boeing 737-8AS Playback of flight FR4978 / RYR1TZ - ↑ https://www.iwm.at/news/hijack-europe-belarus-and-abduction-roman-protasevich The Hijack: Europe, Belarus, and the Abduction of Roman Protasevich// Event announcement Country of Belarus// Join us tonight with our panel of speakers, discussing questions surrounding the interception of the Ryanair flight 478 by a Belarusian fighter plane, forcing the European commercial airliner to land in Minsk.// The reporter Roman Protasevich (26), known for his coverage of pro-democracy protests, was then abducted by Belarusian authorities, along with the student Sofia Sapega (23).
- ↑ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viktor_Gulevich_2021_(cropped).jpg Русский: Начальник Генерального штаба — первый заместитель Министра обороны Республики Беларусь генерал-майор Гулевич Виктор Владимирович Date 31 March 2021, 12:07:25 Source Минобороны России Author Savitskiy Vadim (Минобороны России)
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdCyJgowyko Хренин о приоритетах в новой должности министра обороны: основное - это люди •Jan 20, 2020 Информационное агентство БелТА. Виктор Хренин, назначенный сегодня министром обороны, рассказал журналистам о приоритетах своей работы в новой должности. .. Коля Лукашенко — заложник своего отца или соучастник преступлений режима? Судьба детей диктаторов varlamov (2020)
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57260125 Belarus plane: Lukashenko hits back at condemnation of journalist's arrest. 2021.05.26
- ↑ https://elpnariai.lt/en/tag/belarus/ 2021.05.23 Statement of MEP A. Kubilius: Dictator Lukashenko has initiated an act of the State terrorism and aggression against EU citizens and EU private company// On 23 May 2021, at noon, Belarus Air Force fighter jets have hijacked the Ryanair flight FR4978 originating from Athens and bound for Vilnius with 171 passengers on board, including the journalist Roman Protasevich, who was detained by the Belarus authorities after the passenger plane was forced to land in Belarus by the order of A. Lukashenko. ..
- ↑ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ivan_Tertel.png Русский: Председатель КГБ Иван Тертель в марте 2021 года. Date 9 March 2021 Source Own work, original source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7LpOGuFGCg Author Roman Kubanskiy, original version: belta.by
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_hijackings
- ↑ 2021.05.24. https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-furious-over-belarus-hijacking-but-official-response-may-take-time/ The EU is furious at Belarus ‘hijacking’ — but accountability may take time. EU leaders will discuss possible options at a previously scheduled meeting Monday night. .. By David M. Herszenhorn, Lili Bayer and Jacopo Barigazzi May 24, 2021 3:43 pm
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https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/46502 49 U.S. Code § 46502. Aircraft piracy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_hijacking Aircraft hijacking (also known as airplane hijacking, skyjacking, plane hijacking, plane jacking, air robbery, air piracy, or aircraft piracy, with the last term used within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States), is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group..
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hijack hijack verb// hi·jack | \ ˈhī-ˌjak// variants: or less commonly highjack// hijacked also highjacked; hijacking also highjacking; hijacks also highjacks// Definition of hijack// transitive verb// 1a : to steal by stopping a vehicle on the highway// b : to commandeer (a flying airplane) especially by coercing the pilot at gunpoint// c : to stop and steal from (a vehicle in transit)// d : kidnap// 2a : to steal or rob as if by hijacking// b : to subject to extortion or swindling