Forced Landing of Ryanair Jet in Belarus Triggers Outrage

The U.S. and Europe reacted with outrage after Belarus ordered a Ryanair Holdings Plc flight transiting its airspace to land and arrested a journalist on board, an unprecedented violation of European air travel protocols.

The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences.

Those responsible for the #Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned.

Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately.

EUCO will discuss tomorrow action to take.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 23, 2021

“The United States strongly condemns the forced diversion of a flight between two EU member states and the subsequent removal and arrest of journalist Roman Pratasevich,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

“Initial reports suggesting the involvement of the Belarusian security services and the use of Belarusian military aircraft to escort the plane are deeply concerning and require full investigation.”

The forced landing drew sharp and unified condemnation from across the European Union, with France and Greece, Poland and Germany among those rushing to express their anger. Further sanctions on Minsk may result. EU leaders due to meet in Brussels for a two-day summit starting Monday will discuss the consequences of what EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called an “unacceptable” action.

Europe’s fury was triggered after a Boeing Co. 737-800 carrying scores of passengers from Athens to Vilnius was diverted to the Belarusian capital on Sunday under the escort of a Mig-29 fighter jet. The plane’s crew was notified by authorities in Minsk of a “potential security threat on board,” a Ryanair spokeswoman said. Once in Minsk, authorities arrested a journalist who covered protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, whose election to a sixth term last year was internationally disputed.

Authorities boarded the plane and arrested Pratasevich, the former editor-in-chief of one the most popular Telegram news channels in Belarus. Pratasevich wasn’t on the plane when it was allowed to take off again for Vilnius, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in a recorded statement.

His girlfriend was searched and allowed back onto the plane, but opted to stay in Minsk. At least four other people also remained in the Belarusian capital, according to Lithuanian officials.

“This is a serious and dangerous incident, which requires international investigation,” NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter.

A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in Minsk declined to comment.