An Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot hijacked a plane bound for Rome and flew it to Switzerland, where he wanted to seek asylum, officials said today.
The Boeing 767-300 aircraft with 202 passengers and crew on board had taken off from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and landed in Geneva at about 6am local time with just 20 minutes of fuel remaining.
The plane circled around Geneva until the co-pilot heard a direct response about his requests for asylum, it has been reported.
Geneva airport chief executive Robert Deillon told reporters that the co-pilot, an Ethiopian man born in 1983, took control of the plane when the pilot left the cockpit.
‘The pilot went to the toilet and he (the co-pilot) locked himself in the cockpit,’ Mr Deillon said. The man "wanted asylum in Switzerland",' he said. ‘That's the motivation of the hijacking.
johnc: Right out of the blue I had an Email from Rogerm at the Alternative. I thought it had closed and faded away ages ago, but Rogerm said that something I didn`t understand had been stolen and did I want to remove my name and password or he`d do it for me if I
Jul 25, 2013 21:17:25 GMT
johnc: wanted. What a surprise.
Jul 25, 2013 21:18:13 GMT
sesley: Higland Schools are back today.i have 1 child left in school the others have all grown up now.
Aug 20, 2013 8:39:39 GMT
maggie: Ours are back on 3 September.
Aug 21, 2013 9:09:29 GMT
beth: Me too, Sesley ... and mine's a senior this year.
Sept 1, 2013 7:28:26 GMT
PeterL: Were schooldays the happiest days of your life , as they are supposed to be ?
Sept 2, 2013 7:58:20 GMT
maggie: Probably Peter, but you don't realise it at the time!
Sept 6, 2013 18:54:51 GMT
beth: Not sure about happiest but probably most carefree.
Sept 23, 2013 6:49:08 GMT
maggie: Carefree would be nice right now!
Sept 27, 2013 18:52:58 GMT
maggie: No one has been around here for ages!!!!
Jan 5, 2014 15:25:33 GMT
PeterL: I have been very tied up just lately with a local committee I am the chairman of but hope now to be able to spend more time here Although I have to admit I do sometimes find it hard to find topics that can be the basis of a good conversations that wil
Jan 6, 2014 22:26:53 GMT
toby: I am still alive and kicking !
Mar 1, 2014 11:36:08 GMT
PeterL: Glad to hear it toby
Mar 4, 2014 16:33:41 GMT