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Co-pilot of hijacked Ethiopian Airlines arrested after landing
by Joseph Earnest February 17, 2014
Newscast Media GENEVA—An Ethiopian Airlines flight hijacked by its co-pilot was forced to land at Geneva Airport early Monday, before the hijacker turned himself in, according to Geneva cantonal police.
The 31-year-old Ethiopian man took control of the plane by locking himself in the cockpit when the pilot left to use the toilet. He then tried to seek asylum in Switzerland, according to airport officials.
Police spokesperson Eric Grandjean told Xinhua that the co-pilot claimed he was not safe in his country, adding that the investigation was under way and the arrested hijacker would be prosecuted. All passengers and crew onboard are safe.
The Boeing 767-300 flight took off from Addis Abba and was bound for Milan via Rome. It landed at Geneva International Airport at around 6:02 am (0500 GMT) in the morning, police said.
Xavier Wohlschlag, Chief Operating Officer of Geneva airport, told Xinhua that the aircraft is being checked by the police, and the passengers would be able to get their personal belongings and luggage back once the plane was known to be safe.
The airport has now resumed operations and most of the passengers will be able to head to Italy later today, said the police.
A similar incident occurred at Geneva airport in 1985, when an Air Afrique plane was hijacked by a Lebanese gunman and one passenger was killed. Add Comments>>
Source: Xinhua
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