Ryanair Flight 4978 had already begun its descent into the Lithuanian capital when the pilot announced that the plane would be suddenly diverting to Minsk, capital of neighboring Belarus.
There was no explanation reut.rs/3hQDOI3 1/5
There was no explanation reut.rs/3hQDOI3 1/5
But one of the passengers, Belarusian dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, reacted immediately, standing up from his seat, reaching into the overhead locker, pulling a laptop computer from his hand luggage and passing it to a woman along with his mobile phone 2/5
Protasevich, who is wanted in Belarus for his role in broadcasting huge opposition protests in Minsk last year, did not have much time. Minsk is less than 125 miles from Vilnius. The diversion would take minutes 3/5
Outside the plane was a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet, on orders from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to force the plane to Minsk 4/5
Protasevich, 26, was immediately separated on arrival in Minsk. The European Union called for Protasevich’s immediate release, with the head of the EU’s executive European Commission and the Polish prime minister describing the incident as a hijacking reut.rs/3hQDOI3 5/5
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