Drunken passenger on flight forces emergency landing
A domestic flight from Surgut in western Siberia to Moscow had to make an emergency landing due to a drunken passenger.
The male passenger was “in a state of inebriation” according to Russia’s Investigative Committee, and he demanded to change the flight path of the plane.
According to investigators, a criminal probe was opened into the incident.
“Threatening that he had a weapon, he tried to break into the cockpit during the flight and demanded to change the course of the aircraft,” investigators reported.
Aeroflot flight #SU1515 from Surgut to Moscow is diverting to Khanty-Mansiysk with squawk 7600 (radio failure).
According to @RT_russian a passenger demanded the aircraft to fly to Afghanistan.https://t.co/lO2rs9X4Dr pic.twitter.com/9NFRQh8C5y— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) 22 January 2019
“The aircraft commander made the decision to make a forced landing in Khanty-Mansiysk,” the statement confirmed.
According to reports from Russian news agency Interfax, the man who caused the dispute was so drunk another passenger had to wake him during the assault.
Aeroflot, who is the airline carrier of the interrupted flight, released a statement, saying:
“The incident did not affect the work of the company. All flights are on schedule.
“During the release of the aircraft, none of the passengers and crew members were injured.
“We ask passengers to treat the enhanced control when boarding aircraft with understanding.”
Enhanced security and control measures were brought in as a result of the incident on the plane.
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