Russian flight landed in ‘hijack’

Moscow, Jan. 22: A Boeing 737 Aeroflot flight from Surgut city in Siberia to Moscow, reportedly having 69 passengers and seven crew members on board, was forced to land 240km short of its destination.

This was after a passenger reportedly demanded that the plane be diverted to Afghanistan. Flight SU1515 landed in KhantyMansiysk, Aeroflot confirmed. Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee said the passenger was still inside the plane, after earlier saying he was detained. He is said to have been unarmed.

Sources said the plane landed after the crew convinced the unruly passenger that the plane needed refueling.

The passenger was either drunk or mentally unstable, sources have told Russian media. He has been detained multiple times before for drunk and disorderly behaviour, Interfax news agency reports.

At least 10 police squads were dispatched to the airport, according to sources at the scene.

A photograph of the would-be hijacker has emerged in the Russian media. Sources identified him only as 41-year-old Pavel. Authorities are yet to confirm his identity.

The man could now be charged with hijacking an aircraft. Under Russian law, the charges bear a prison term of up to eight years, or up to 12 years if the perpetrator was armed or used violence. Agencies