Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Ryanair CEO: Belarus flight diversion was 'state-sponsored hijacking'

Ryanair CEO: Belarus flight diversion was 'state-sponsored hijacking'

EU Council will meet Monday to discuss potential action against Belarus for the Ryanair incident

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has accused Belarus of a "state-sponsored hijacking" and "state-sponsored piracy" after the country forced Flight 4978, heading from Athens to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, to divert to the city of Minsk on Sunday.

The Belarus presidential press service said a bomb threat was received while the plane was over Belarusian territory. However, officials later said no explosives were found.


O'Leary told Newstalk Breakfast that the incident was "very frightening" for passengers and crews, noting they were held under armed guard and had their bags searched.

Upon landing, local authorities arrested journalist and opposition blogger Roman Protasevich, who is wanted in Belarus on a variety of charges that could reportedly result in the death penalty. European Humanities University student and Protasevich's travel companion, Sofia Sapega, was also detained.

"It appears the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," O'Leary said. "We believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well."

The Ryanair plane with registration number SP-RSM, carrying opposition figure Roman Protasevich, which was traveling from Athens to Vilnius and was diverted to Minsk after a bomb threat, lands at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, May 23, 2021.

Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney confirmed on RTE's Morning Ireland program Monday that "either five or six people didn't reboard" the plane after it landed, suggesting that "a number of the other people who left the plane were secret service."


He added that he wasn't sure whether the agents were KGB, but noted they were "clearly linked to the Belarusian regime."

The incident has prompted condemnation across Europe toward Belarus and its leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Coveney, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, French diplomat Vincent Guerend, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen all said the incident is "unnacceptable" and emphasized that Belarus must face consequences for its actions.




Leyen added that the individuals responsible for the Ryanair incident must be sanctioned and Protasevich must be released.


European Humanities University said in a statement that Sapega's arrest was based on "groundless and made-up conditions" and noted she was getting prepared for the defense of her master’s thesis in Vilnius.

"The University insists on providing immediate consular assistance to Sofia," EHU added. "In addition to that, EHU calls on international partners, donors and human rights defenders to assist in releasing Sofia."


Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that the United States strongly condemns "the Lukashenko regime’s brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist."

"We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps," Blinken added. "The United States stands with the people of Belarus."

Belarus was rocked by protests since the Aug. 9 election that handed Lukashenko a victory with 80% of the vote, which many claimed was a rigged election.

The EU Council will meet Monday to discuss potential actions against Belarus for the incident. In addition, members will also discuss whether to implement a ban on airlines flying over Belarus airspace.


Airline airBaltic said in a statement on Monday that it would avoid flying near Belarus airspace until "the situation becomes clearer or a decision is issued by authorities."


While O'Leary points out that the potential change would be "a very minor adjustment," he said Ryanair will await official guidance from European authorities before adjusting its flights.

Belarus argues that Western countries are acting "hastily" by making "belligerent" statements about Sunday's incident.

Foreign ministry press secretary Anatoliy Glaz told Russian state media RIA Novosti that a "number of countries" and the EU were making "deliberately politicized, unsupported accusations," and that those nations have "no apparent desire to understand it objectively."

Glaz defended Belarus' actions on Sunday as "fully justified" to ensure the safety of the flight's passengers and crew, adding there is "no doubt that the actions of our competent authorities were also in full compliance with the established international rules."

Russia, a key ally of Belarus, has declined to comment on the diverted fight. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists Monday that it would defer to international aviation authorities regarding whether Belarus was compliant with regulations.

"We simply do not have this information: Who flew out? Where did they fly from? What are the reasons?" Peskov said, according to a translation of his remarks. "Therefore, I cannot comment on anything."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×