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'Hijack' drama on Russian plane | 'Hijack' drama on Russian plane |
(about 8 hours later) | |
A Russian passenger plane has made an emergency landing in Prague after a man tried to enter the cockpit. | |
A spokesman for the airline, Aeroflot, said the Russian citizen wanted the Moscow-Geneva flight diverted to Cairo. | A spokesman for the airline, Aeroflot, said the Russian citizen wanted the Moscow-Geneva flight diverted to Cairo. |
Czech police described the incident as an attempted hijacking, but Aeroflot said it was a case of "hooliganism". | Czech police described the incident as an attempted hijacking, but Aeroflot said it was a case of "hooliganism". |
The man, who claimed to be carrying a bomb, was arrested in Prague. All 168 passengers on board were unharmed and the plane later left for Geneva. | |
No explosives were eventually found on board the Airbus A-320, and Czech authorities said they were not considering terrorism as a motive. | |
The plane taxied to an isolated area of Prague's Ruzyne airport after landing, where it was surrounded by emergency vehicles. | The plane taxied to an isolated area of Prague's Ruzyne airport after landing, where it was surrounded by emergency vehicles. |
Police carried out checks on the plane itself, and on the luggage, before the plane was allowed to take off at 2100 GMT, an airport spokeswoman said. | |
Man tied-up | Man tied-up |
"Today, on flight 271 Moscow-Geneva, one of the passengers on the flight declared that he had an explosive device," said Aeroflot deputy chief executive Lev Koshlyakov. | "Today, on flight 271 Moscow-Geneva, one of the passengers on the flight declared that he had an explosive device," said Aeroflot deputy chief executive Lev Koshlyakov. |
"The crew, in accordance with the current rules, asked to make an emergency landing in Prague and landed at Prague airport. Local law enforcement apprehended the passenger. | "The crew, in accordance with the current rules, asked to make an emergency landing in Prague and landed at Prague airport. Local law enforcement apprehended the passenger. |
"The preliminary version is that this was a case of hooliganism." | "The preliminary version is that this was a case of hooliganism." |
Aeroflot identified the passenger as Yevgeny Dagayev, thought to be 32 years old. | |
Russia's Itar-Tass news agency quoted another Aeroflot spokesman as saying that a drunken passenger provoked a brawl, threatened to damage the plane and demanded that it change course. | Russia's Itar-Tass news agency quoted another Aeroflot spokesman as saying that a drunken passenger provoked a brawl, threatened to damage the plane and demanded that it change course. |
Czech police chief Vladislav Husak said the man had been overpowered by other passengers and crew after trying to break into the cockpit. | Czech police chief Vladislav Husak said the man had been overpowered by other passengers and crew after trying to break into the cockpit. |
According to some reports, he was then tied up. | According to some reports, he was then tied up. |
'Not terrorism' | 'Not terrorism' |
Czech Defence Ministry spokesman Andrej Cirtek said two Gripen fighters were in the air ready to intervene, but proved unnecessary. | Czech Defence Ministry spokesman Andrej Cirtek said two Gripen fighters were in the air ready to intervene, but proved unnecessary. |
Jan Subert, A spokesman for the Czech counterintelligence service, the BIS, said that terrorism apparently was not involved. | Jan Subert, A spokesman for the Czech counterintelligence service, the BIS, said that terrorism apparently was not involved. |
"From what we know, the incident had nothing to do with terrorism," he said. | "From what we know, the incident had nothing to do with terrorism," he said. |
Aeroflot said the man was travelling with eight family members, three of them children. | Aeroflot said the man was travelling with eight family members, three of them children. |