MINSK, 24 May (BelTA) – Lithuania's decision not to accept planes traveling through Belarus at its airports is driven by emotions, not by safety concerns, Director of the Aviation Department at the Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry Artyom Sikorsky told journalists, BelTA has learned.
“Lithuania's decision not to accept planes traveling through Belarus at its airports is driven by emotions, not by safety concerns,” Artyom Sikorsky believes.
According to him, as for now, only several flights that were to travel through Belarus have been canceled. This is economically unprofitable for airlines, Artyom Sikorsky noted.
“There are no threats to aircraft that cross the Belarusian airspace. We can assure everyone of that,” he added.
BelTA reported earlier that an aircraft of the air carrier Ryanair was flying over Belarus on the way from Athens to Vilnius on 23 May. The aircraft sent a distress signal. The airport received the signal at 12:50. The FR4978 flight squawked code 7700 – it is the main emergency code, which signifies an emergency situation on board. A message about a bomb on board the aircraft was the reason for the distress call.
The pilot-in-command decided to divert the aircraft to the Minsk National Airport where the aircraft landed successfully. Emergency response teams of the airport, ambulances, aviation security personnel, and K9 specialists had already been waiting for the aircraft at the parking apron. Prompt investigation measures were taken. Additional units of the Emergencies Ministry arrived. Representatives of law enforcement agencies worked on site.
There were 123 passengers on board. All of them went through an additional aviation security check and were delivered to the airport's transit lounge for investigation measures. The luggage was also removed from the aircraft and submitted to an additional security check. The tip about the bomb on board the aircraft proved false. The aircraft left the Minsk National Airport for Vilnius at 20:48.
The Investigative Committee branch of Minsk's Oktyabrsky District has opened a criminal case into a knowingly false report about danger in line with part 1, Article 340 of the Criminal Code.
