Sunday, Ryanair flight FR4978 en route from Athens to Vilnius. Shortly before the Lithuanian border, the plane is forced to change course. Allegedly a bomb threat. A Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet takes off and directs FR4978 to the airport in the capital Minsk “for security reasons” – although the actual destination is much closer.
What initially looks like a rescue maneuver turns out to be an airplane hijacking. In Minsk, the Belarusian authorities arrested the activist and journalist Roman Protasevich (26), who is among the passengers: a critic of Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko (66).
On board the hijacked machine is an influencer who calls herself “raselle_gr” on Instagram. She recorded the incident in a story – her videos show what apparently happened in Minsk.
Protasevich pleaded: “Don’t do that”
«Raselle_gr» writes that the Belarusian activist who fled into exile said to a steward: «Don’t do that. You will kill me. I am a refugee. “
He replied: “We have to, we have no choice, that’s Ryanair’s rule.” It is unclear whether the statements refer to the landing and search of the aircraft or further instructions in Minsk.
The Instagram story shows how airport security personnel receive the aircraft. “Ryanair accepts to be kidnapped,” writes the Instagram dryly.
The videos show that the passengers apparently all had to get off and were driven to the airport building. Her hand luggage was apparently examined with sniffer dogs.
Belarus claims the arrest was accidental
“Ryanair, I would like to know who is responsible for this chaos,” writes “raselle_gr” and grumbles: “We were treated like prisoners in Minsk”. Further eyewitness reports confirm the description.
Eyewitnesses report: “They stood before us with weapons”(01:20)
The Belarusian authorities claim that the plane landed because of the bomb threat – the later arrest of Lukashenko’s enemy Roman Protasevich was pure coincidence.
But it was clear to Protasevich early on that the bomb threat was probably fabricated. Eyewitnesses report that he handed over personal belongings to his girlfriend on the plane.
A last photo from «raselle_gr» shows Protasewitsch in the transfer bus: «He knew this was the end. You handed it over. “